All That's Wrong
by WitchWhoLovesHim
Summary: Marina is everything a lady shouldn't be. Raised by Captain Nemo and his crew since she was 6 she is brought along on the adventure to save the world. Can this mute actually help the League or will her presence be only a burden to them all... Jekyll X OC
1. Chapter 1

_My name is Marina and I am seventeen years old; I do not have a last name. I do not have a last name because I am an orphan; that is one thing that is wrong with me. I never understood why, but people's eyes seem to grow colder when they say the word, 'orphan.' Like we are the plague of the world because we do not have parents to care for us. _

_Aside from being an orphan, which is apparently horrible enough, several other things are wrong with me. I am a mute, and communicate with my hands and written words. I cannot cook, nor can I sew. I am unsure what is in style at the present, or in the past for that matter. I am afraid of neither bugs nor any animal, but I do admit a shiver when I think of how I could have been a victim to sharks. I cannot ride sidesaddle, cannot play an instrument. I have never been to finishing school, and I do not understand what 'proper lady' insinuates, for I am simply me._

_There are many more things wrong with me, and I wish not to go on. However, despite the horrors of what I cannot do, I can do other things quite well. I can steer a ship, fix and maintain a working engine. I have been trained to fight, and I never fall without one. I call no man master, though people often call my caretaker just that. I am to be the Captain of an amazing ship when my Captain retires. I will inherit his science, which I actually understand. I am friend to my Captains workers, and rightly so. I love training, my daggers, and strengthening my body. I have dreams of surpassing even my Captain and proving I am just as capable as any._

_In the end, what is wrong with me and what is not means little to me. I am who I am, and that is all I care to be._

"Marina, it is time." Captain was in my bedroom door, filling its frame with his own. I smiled and shut my deep red stained, leather-bound journal. The same one he had given me for my past day of birth, the day I turned seventeen. Why I have yet to use it until now, I cannot tell you, but right now, it just felt right. The time to use it was now.

I followed him matching stride, dressed in the white Indian garb of his crew. The only difference was that I wore a headdress, a small hat with fabric surrounding it to hide my face and long brown hair. Down the halls we walked, side by side we went without problem. Chatting of simple things, like how the ship held and of our current state of health. I spoke with my hands, while he read and replied by word of mouth. I was chiefly mute, my senses in proper tact.

We passed several workers, all of which I knew by name, and I made point to wave at all. A labyrinth of halls later we met Captain's first mate at the entrance, and left the Nautilus. Down the slopping connection onto the dock, and into the Automobile we traveled. For now, I could sit in the back comfortably, with no restraints on my movements. I knew that would not last past this ride, and tried my hardest to enjoy this temporary freedom. Sitting there in the car, I still felt the same thrill I had the first time I rode in the Automobile. There was nothing better that knowing you could easily beat anything that came across your path with its speed…

Through England's crowded street we rode, dark and damp cobblestone surrounded us. An English summer indeed, who ever heard of a rainy summer? I shook my head for the unfortunate British, and looked at the unimpressive building were the meeting was to be held. It looked the same as all the other buildings surrounding it.

With black umbrella in hand, I opened the car door and quickly defended myself against the soft rain around us. Captain had his first mate take 'his lady' away, which basically meant it would be stared at for a time as Ishmael drove it around. I held the umbrella high over both our heads as we walked towards the building, careful to make sure Captain was the most covered. He raised an eyebrow at me, making me smile as I tilted the umbrella more over myself as well.

Inside the building we were lead to a room, empty, except for one man. He introduced himself as 'M,' perhaps for morose? He certainly came on that way seeing as he kept the lights dim. Why he did, I could not guess. However, I could still hear the disdain in his voice when he asked about me. If only I could speak, I would have put that man in his place. My wish was heard to deft ears however, and I could do nothing but stare as my Captain spoke, "My apprentice," he told M, and M stared.

"I'm afraid he cannot be here for the meeting," M stated, for my disguise had fooled him. It was not as though I had a choice though. Captain knew what people would think should they know he had a young woman apprentice, and had explained it to me. Neither of us wanted any thinking that, so we had both agreed to dress me as a boy. Only outside though, aboard the ship, I was every bit the woman I was, for the crew knew the truth. They knew the Captain had saved me from open waters and-though I dared not say it for fear of rejection- morally adopted me as his own kin. For that day when he found me to now, Captain had become my protector, and defended me now.

"If my apprentice cannot stay, then neither shall I," he turned towards the door and looked at me, "Come," he ordered. I nodded, but before either of us could take a step, M cried, "Wait! If those are your terms they are accepted, I must imagine the boy will always be with you whether he separates from you now or not and shall learn all anyway. So you both must stay for the good of all!"

I was grateful my grin was hidden as Captain accepted. We stood still against the wall, waiting for the others. As we did, I could swear I saw files shift on the table. Did a page just turn on its own? I stared at the spot, but nothing more happened. I looked up at the ceiling of the room, unimpressive. Or maybe I had become spoiled and now even the impressive was not perceived so, either way, as we waited silently for the members to arrive I became stricken by one fact:

Staring at a ceiling had become more entertaining than waiting for members of an elite group set to save the world.

Perhaps I should add that to the list of what is wrong…


	2. Chapter 2

Chap. 2

Enough time had passed that finding patterns on the ceiling had become duller than it had been when I began. I resumed staring at the files for nothing better to do, and noted they had yet to change since the first time I saw them move. I breathed in sharply through my nose as something brushed my shirt, I stepped back quickly only to see there was nothing there. I glared at the spot where I had been touched for a long moment, before Captains hand was on my shoulder. I looked up quickly and told him it was nothing quickly. He did not seem to believe me, and he motioned for me to follow as he walked around the corner and disappeared among the rows of bookshelves.

I quickly followed, staring at all the spines along the rows of books. They seemed never ending, and my hands ached to take them and explore their covers. Reading, it was one of the things not wrong with me. I loved to read almost as much as I loved working in the engine room with the crew; almost as much as sparing with Captain. Whatever Captain was looking for, he seemed to find it, or maybe he gave up. Either way, he smiled down at me and put his hand on my shoulder again, and directed me back the way we came. We were but a turn from the hall we had entered at the start of this 'meeting,' when the door opened and two men walked in, and Captain halted, which I imitated.

Black suit and cap was the attire of the first man to enter, and he took the coat of the other man obligingly, without a word. Grey hair and beard, dressed as I had only seen in books and from a distance, the second man entered cautiously as the first disappeared behind closed doors. The man was familiar, so very familiar, as though I had seen him thus before. My brow nit together as I tried to remember where I had seen this man before, but to no avail.

A tapping broke my concentration, and my eyes darted to where M sat. The sudden sound was uncommonly loud after so long a silence, and the man seemed to tense, "I don't like theatrics," his grizzled voice topped with accent came.

"After Africa's veldts, London's weather isn't helping your mood, I see." M's almost curt response came almost instantly, and it obviously was not the one the familiar man wanted. "Identify yourself," he said, and a moment later the halls illuminated with light, and M stated, "I'm known by many names, Mr. Quatermain."

I almost gasped aloud at his name. I suddenly remembered just where I had seen him from. A book from long ago, a book all of the legend of Allen Quatermain. My hand was clasped over my mouth, my eyes wide. By the time Captains hand shaking my shoulder shocked me from my amazement, I had already missed the introductions. Now, it seemed as though M was, 'kissing Quatermain's ass.'

"I must say, the delight is mine, meeting so notable a recruit...to this newest generation of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen." Quatermain was apparently as confused as I, for I knew we would be meeting other notables, but I did not know they would have a name. I was relieved the duty of asking Captain when Quatermain said, "League of what?"

"There have been times when a danger upon the world, required the services of singular individuals." I looked up at Captain with wide eyes, my eyebrows raised, head tilted. My own personal sign of confusion, to which he smiled slightly and nodded forward. I nodded back as we walked forward and I heard Quatermain reply, "How very curious."

Our footsteps must have signaled our presence, for when we turned the corner Quatermain was already looking our way while M stated, "This museum is full of the curious." His eyes seemed to burn towards us, and I think there was disdain held especially for me in his looks, "Allan Quatermain, Captain Nemo." I looked at M with a raised eyebrow, even dressed as a boy people felt me insignificant, insignificant enough to not warrant an introduction.

"I know of Mr. Quatermain," Captain said, proud and stoic as ever, his hand on his belt. Quatermain grinned at us and said, "And I know of you, captain. Rumor has it that you're a pirate." He seemed to all but laugh at my Captain. Though there was but a subtle change, I knew of Captains distaste for the term. Not only did he dislike being called so, but also he had always theorized I had ended up alone in open water due to them. A double-edged blade that caused him to say, "I'd prefer a less provocative title." Quatermain shifted, "I'm sure you would-"

"- Gentlemen, please." M said, shifting attention to him and his explanation of what was going on. "Nations are striking at nation. Every attack marked by the use of highly advanced weaponry. These attacks are all the work of one man, who calls himself the Fantom." As he spoke both my Captain and Quartermain shifted closer and I followed, standing just behind Captain to keep the farce of lowly apprentice alive. In truth, I wanted nothing more than to sit and read the files that Quartermain currently had. I let out a soft sigh through my nose, perhaps my chance would soon come…

Quartermain stared at one of the pages and said, "Very operatic. What's in it for him?" M was quick to enter his telling again, "Profit. Those machines are his creations, the work of scientists he holds imprisoned. His attacks have nations clamoring for the weapons that assail them." I stared at M in shock, could one man truly do so much. I knew the answer, I had studied history well since I knew so little of my own, but it was still much to take in. I looked at Captain and saw he was as calm as ever, which gave me comfort enough to calm my own self.

"-Then it's a race for arms." Quartermain stated. "And millions will perish." M told us, and sat in one of the large chairs, "There's one last chance to avert war. The leaders of Europe are to meet secretly in Venice." Quartermain seemed unconvinced, "And you believe that this Fantom," he tapped the paper, "will attack that conference?"

"If he can find it," M said, matter-of-fact, "We need a team to stop him in Venice. This team consists of six-" I saw it, M's eyes flashed at me. Within them was something fierce, a look of calculation, a look of sharpness that I met with confusion, "And a half members." Quartermain's eyebrows raised as his eyes darted in my direction. I could sense Captains discontent at M's words and felt happiness in my heart from this. Any showing that he cared for me always made me happy. M's eyes did not meet mine again and he proceeded to say, "You'll have four days."

Quartermain's eyes were shocked back to M, "Four days to get to Venice? It's impossible." He stated with raised brows. "Let me worry about that," Captain said with confidence, and my pride in him swelled along with my own, for someday I would be the Captain with the same pride from my vessel. Captain and Quartermain eyed each other before Quartermain's eyes fell (a victory for my Captain) to the files and he said, "Well now, extraordinary gentlemen indeed."

"One of them is late," M stated, "Harker, the chemist."

Suddenly, a voice from nowhere sounded, making me stiffen as my gaze fell towards the noise, "Oh, chemist, eh? Do we get to blow something up then?" Even my Captain was looking for the source; Quartermain removed his glasses and said, "My eyesight must be worse than I thought."

"No, your eyesight's fine," the voice stated as my own eyes widened. The files I had seen moving before were at it once again, only this time they were floating! They slammed into the table in front of Quartermain, making him jump, "No games, M!" he commanded. M grinned and stood from his chair, "Some time ago, a talented,

Albeit misguided, man of science discovered the means to become invisible."

"Yes, I recall the tale, but didn't he die?" Quartermain asked. "Well, he did, but his process didn't," the voice from nowhere said. "You see, I stole it,

and here I stand for all to see." The voice said, and I smiled incredulously, the voice had...A sense of humor?

"Is this some parlor game?" Quartermain asked. "Believe it, the voice said, seemingly annoyed and apparently offensive. Quartermain's shoulder was shoved forward, only for him to strike backwards. The candleholder toppled as the voice said, "Easy now, Allan." The voice spoke, sounding amused. All eyes followed the sound of footsteps as he walked towards a jacket on a chair and said, "I'm feeling a bit of a draft in my nether regions." I blushed involuntarily; the invisible man was entirely exposed.

"-And I must say, it's quite refreshing." The jacket was lifted and as it apparently on its own was assembled, the voice said, "Allow me to introduce myself. Rodney Skinner, gentleman thief." The voice had a name. A hand must have been digging in his pocket for a moment later a jar appeared. It opened and revealed white cream, which was forming a face as it was spread. The faceless man was no more, "Now, I thought invisibility would be a boon to my work." He explained, "Well, you can imagine, it was my undoing. Once you're invisible, it's bloody hard to turn back."

"We finally caught him," M stated unhelpfully. "-And they'll provide an antidote.

Well, that's if I'm a good boy." Skinner said. "And are you a good boy?" Quartermain asked. It seemed a useless question, how could we be sure who he was and how he would act just by him saying? I wished once again for the ability to speak to tell Quartermain so, however this time my request was heard.

"I guess you'll find out, won't you?" Skinner told him, and hidden beneath the folds of fabric, I smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

Chap

Chap.3

The doors once again opened, halting the conversation to a standstill. This time the one who entered was not a man, but a woman. Dressed conservatively, covered from head to toe with a red scarf wrapped around her neck, she gazed around the room before implying, "Am I late?"

"A woman's prerogative, Mrs. Harker," M said with a chuckle, making me glare. I was never late to any engagement, and I had been a woman since my thirteenth year! Not only that, but if she was the Harker M had been talking of, she was an accomplished enough chemist to be in the League! Quatermain obviously was not about to accept this though, and said," Please tell me this is Harker's wife,

with a sick note." I looked at him in disbelief, all women are not pathetic housewives, you twit.

"Sick would be a mild understatement," Mrs. Harker said as she walked in, "My husband's been dead for years." She told him, matter-of-factly. M took over then, "Gentlemen, Mrs. Wilhelmina Harker. Mina's prior acquaintance with a reluctant League member may prove useful." He explained, leaning on a chair as all eyes turned toward him.

"I'm waiting to be impressed," Quatermain stated, in Mrs. Harker's direction. M would not be stopped though, "The fate of the world is at stake. There are two more members to recruit. The clock hands turn, gentlemen." My disbelief was back, I looked at M annoyed, how I wished to ask him why he thought his voice so pleasant. Ask who had deluded him and caused him to speak oh so very much. Alas, as is my fate, I could only turn towards Skinner as he said, "Kicking us out already? A moment ago, it was sherry and giggles," while walking towards the door as he flipped up his colar.

I grinned once more, hidden behind my cloth and followed closely behind Captain. No one spoke until we had made it out of the tight brick hallways and could see the automobile from the top of the stairs. I grinned, seeing Ishmael leaning against it, and checked to make sure Captain was covered with the umbrella again. I glanced at the other League members, and my grin grew at the shock on their faces, especially Quatermain's who said, "What in God's name is that?"

"I call it an automobile," Captain answered them. "Yeah, but what is it?" Skinner asked in a snappish way, making me glare softly at him. He did not have to be so impatient. Not that it mattered; it was not as though Captain would spill the Automobiles secrets here in the middle of a crowded street with many witnesses. He answered his question instead with, "The future, gentlemen, the future." We had made it down the steps, and he said, "This is my first mate-"

"Call me Ishmael," Ishmael told them, then motioned towards the car, "Please."

That is how we ended up in the Automobile, Mrs. Harker, Skinner, and then Quatermain in the back. While Ishmael drove and Captain sat in the passenger seat. I was in-between the two, sitting on the spot usually reserved for an arm's rest. I had pulled my legs up to my chest and hugged my knee's in an attempt not to hinder Ishmael's driving. Not for the first time, I was grateful for the smaller stature of a woman that was mine, my own. The air felt thick and constricted in the tiny space, and I could already tell it would not be a pleasant ride…

As we drove through the dark London streets, I spoke quietly with Captain through my hands, and he answered thusly in the same manner:

"What do you think?" I signed my question inconspicuously. "An odd lot, no doubt, however it is not that odd in relation to your own endeavors." He signaled back, and he was smiling as he did. Though he could not see it, I smiled. I think he read it in my eyes though, for his smile grew. Our smiles fell as we ended our conversation, staring ahead at the passing street.

"So how did M get you?" Skinner asked, most likely to break the suffocating silence, and I turned to watch as he turned his head towards Quatermain. "None of your business," Quatermain replied gruffly, looking annoyed. Mrs. Harker joined in the conversation then, leaning towards Quatermain, "You're a little testy, Mr. Q." Mr. Q. … I liked that, it would make things easier in the long run, when I eventually had to speak to him through written word. I had a good feeling he would not know my signs…

Mr. Q. leaned towards Mrs. Harker challengingly, "Mrs. Harker, I doubt if you measure danger the way I do." Mrs. Harker leaned in even closer, meeting the challenge, "And I imagine you with quite the library, Mr. Quatermain. All those books you must have read merely by looking at their covers." Mr. Q. would not give up however, "I've had women along on past exploits and found them to be, at best, a distraction." He grinned, thinking he won. "Do I distract you?" Mina asked," not to be beat. "My dear girl, I've buried two wives and many lovers and I'm in no mood for more of either," Mr. Q told her, only to have Skinner jump in excitedly, "You can send them my way-"

"-Skinner, shut up." Mr. Q. said, and the conversation seemed to drop. I turned back around and raised my eyebrows at Captain, and his expression seemed to match my own. An unconventional, not well put together team this League was indeed. Could something so thrown together really function?

A while later, as we were nearing the East London docks, Skinner seemed to perk back up again and said, "Oi Nemo, answer a question, will ya?" Captain turned to stare at him with raised brows, "What can I help you with, Mr. Skinner?" I had turned to look at him too, my chin resting on my shoulder for support. Skinner's black glasses turned and despite knowing there was nothing but invisible eyes behind them, I knew they were staring straight at me. "Why's it ya got the girl dressed as a lad and posing as your apprentice? I mean, if you're gonna have a girl at your shoulder, ya might as well show her off!"

Several things happened in a very few seconds the moment Skinner finished talking. I knew as soon as he disclosed his knowledge he had been the touch in the meeting, which made my eyes widen in horror and disgust. How dare that impudent man touch me without permission?! A second later Mr. Q. and Mrs. Harker were staring at me wide-eyed, Mr. Q muttering, "Another lass?" in disbelief, no doubt. Another second later and Ishmael slammed the brakes of the car, making us all jerk forward. It was not much, but it rattled the confusion in the car further. Ishmael and Captain were yelling at the same time, both towards Skinner:

"How dare you assume I would-"

"Captain's been takin care of her since she was-"

Then everything seemed to stop. For me at least, as my fist knocked him into the seat, sending his black glasses askew as he bounced back. I was panting heavily, so angered I could hardly breath. I pulled my hand back to punch him again when Captain yelled, "Marina, cease!" My hand fought my obedience until finally, it fell. The noises of Mr. Q's question's, Mrs. Harker's muttering my name, and Skinner's colorful language as Ishmael continued to chastise him disappeared as I turned to Captain and signed my dilemma.

"He touched my chest in the meeting hall!" I signed so quickly Captain made me repeat it. He stared at my hands, then at my eyes, "I see," he said, then nodded. I turned to Skinner who was staring again, his glasses back in place, and punched him again. His glasses were gone again, and he did not retrieve them. I was left staring at the white that was where the back of his head had been covered, for his eyes were still invisible. "Are you bloody crazy?!" he asked, only not so nicely.

I glared at him, and ripped the hat and cloth off my head, revealing my long brown braid, as Ishmael began to drive once again. "So it is a girl," Mr. Q. said. I glared at him, and knowing the fool could not read my hands grabbed at the paper in my bag and my modified quill and scrawled, "I am a she, not an 'it' you insufferable toad!" I handed him the paper before turning back to Skinner, whose mouth was open in confusion, "Why you writing what you're saying?" he asked. "Obviously she is a mute, Mr. Skinner." Mrs. Harker told him. I nodded and scrawled quickly, "Captain found me at sea and raised me. I am truly his apprentice and if you ever touch me or insinuate what you have again I'll" I wrote a well-placed threat. One I had always wanted to use, but never had the chance to before. I will not repeat it, for it is a foul thing, but it did the ticket.

I handed Skinner the paper and Mrs. Harker's eyebrows rose as she read over his shoulder, "Interesting." She said, but I do not know if it was the good interesting or not. Skinner's head rose, "You can't actually do-"I shifted my look to say, 'Would you like to bet on it?' and he gave a nervous laugh, "Right-o then, nice to meet ya- Marina?" I nodded, and held my hand out to shake. He must have been surprised, because it took him a moment to grasp it. I refused to let him raise my hand, I would be an equal while we were acquaintances, or there would be a very dark road before us.

He laughed when he could not shift my hand, and pumped it strongly, as I did. We broke apart and I turned to Mrs. Harker, holding out my hand to her as well. She was taken aback, and I was sure not to shake her hand hard, and let go quickly. I turned then to Allen Quatermain, and stuck my hand out. I was actually surprised when he gripped my hand painfully tightly, so I squeezed back as hard as I could. Our hands did not move, and he said, "Nice to meet you, boy," he said with a challenging smirk. I returned it, nodding my head with a tilt and mouthed the words, "You too, toad."

Through some miracle, he was able to read those three simple words on my lips. Finally, our hands shook, and parted. We stared at each other for a moment, he annoyed, me cross, our smirks gone. "Deranged little psycho," he finally said, and I signed some very bad things at him, which earned a slap on the arm from Captain as he said, "Marina!" in alarm. I stuck out my tongue and turned around, hugging my knees to me once more. Skinner was laughing, Allen was chuckling, and Mrs. Harker was silent. I was not quite sure what had happened completely. The air in the car seemed less dense though, and it was easier to breathe…


	4. Chapter 4

Chap

Chap. 4

We reached the home of the next (with a bit of luck) League member without any more mishaps. In fact, the rest of the ride had been cloaked in a silence, with thoughts circling us all. The home of this League member was on the corner, next to the East London docks, and I grinned at the good fortune. Whether this person would joined or not mattered little to me, what mattered more was that we were but a few moments from where we would meet our true vessel.

I waited patiently for Captain to exit the automobile before setting down our umbrella and climbing out after him, my cap and cover back in place. "Shall I wait, captain?" Ishmael asked as I slipped past Captain to stand at his side and stare at the gloomy house of our next possible member. "No, bring my lady to me," I heard Captain say, and Ishmael re-entered the automobile. I turned to wave my good-bye before turning once again to face the depressing home. I was suddenly stricken with the thought that whoever lived within this home must be of the same disposition, and cringed at the thought of having to work with one such as that.

"This is a charming spot; does Jack the Ripper live here?" Skinner asked from beside me, and I could not help the small laugh that escaped me, for his words quite perfectly spoke my thoughts. My laugh is not like a person's gifted with speech, whose breath is mixed with there unspeaking voice to creating a range of notes. Laughter is as unique to those who speak as their personality, and often their laughter reflects that part of their being. Sadly, for those without the power of sound, laughter is at best just breath. Breath not mixed with tones to create a magical sound, but breath that sounds as though someone has been running, or is ill, and their breath stops and burst forth inconsistent and jagged intakes and exhales.

If I was never to speak again, yet could still somehow retain my own sound within my laugh, I would be forever content and grateful. Unfulfilled wishes are the fuel of the world however, and I knew my own laughter would never be more than the ugly breath of a breathless woman. Mine, my own, another fault to add to my list that sat upon my dresser. I sighed at the thought, and heard Skinner's chuckle beside me. I looked up confused and his white face grinned down at me, "So the spitfire can laugh, huh?"

I looked away, ashamed that he had heard. I usually refrained from laughing, but with everything that had happened I forgot and it had slipped out. A hand on my shoulder shocked me, "Oi, No one's gonna punish ya, you're allowed to laugh!" Skinner grinned again before following the others to the door, leading me by the shoulder. I shrugged him off as I stood between him and Captain, while Mr. Q. knocked quickly on the door. Moments later the latch covering the peephole opened and an eye peered through. With the shadows, I could not tell color nor anything else besides pale skin in the small bit of light provided. The eye peered at us before the peephole's cover was shut and the door opened.

Standing in the door way was a man dressed in a fine pinstriped suit, who seemed of serious rather than gloomy disposition. "Good evening," he said, looking severely at us, though confusion etched in his eyes. "Mr. Dorian Gray?" Mr. Q. asked, and the main seemed amused to hear it before saying, "I am indeed."

"We came by way of M," Mr. Q. told him. This time he smiled, though it was slight and said, "Oh, M for mystery," The amusement dropped, "Well, I've told him and I'm telling you, I'm not interested." He moved to shut the door, when Mrs. Harker said, "_Dorian_." I moved aside, closer to Captain and allowed her to show herself to 'Dorian.' Obviously, she was the key to acquiring Mr. Gray, because his disbelief showed as he said, "Mina?" and moved aside to let her, and we enter his home.

We were led past bare walls towards a square twisted staircase. Skinner mumbled, "Charming décor," as we reached them and headed up. One of the walls of the wooden stairs was covered with pictures. Most ancient, all were in golden frames. "You're missing a picture, Mr. Gray," Mr. Q. told him… helpfully? "And you don't miss a thing, do you?" Mr. Gray asked him at the top of the stairs. "Oh, sometimes," he said, and I gave him another annoyed look. What a way to be modest, dear Mr. Toad.

We entered a very large room with full bookshelves that reached two stories. They were not pushed up against the wall, for a balcony wrapped around between the shelves and the wall about halfway up the ceiling. Three small chandeliers and several smaller lamps lit the room and made it a bright place. Quite the contradiction to his much darker house.

"Scotch anyone?" Skinner asked, taking off his hat and heading toward the small table of scotch and glasses. "Please, help yourself," Mr. Gray said, walking past the table. "Don't let it ruin your make-up Mrs. Harker added unnecessarily as she passed, to which I glared at her back momentarily. Skinner to, watched her pass, and I could not help but think from the set of his jaw that he glared as well.

"I'm impressed, Mr. Gray. You take Skinner's uniqueness in your stride," Captain paid the complement as we entered the middle of the room. "Yes, well, I've seen too much in my life to shock easily," he replied as he sat in a large chair, which seemed well worn. "Although, I must say I was surprised to see you again," he added suggestively towards Mrs. Harker, swirling his cane around where he held it.

"When, our last parting was such sweet sorrow," Mrs. Harker said with a slight smile as she sat down. "So you're nothing more than an enticement," Mr. Gray stated, hitting the nail on the head. Mrs. Harker obviously found offence in this however (not that I blame her) and her lowered head rose and Mr. Gray continued, "Nevertheless, your presence intrigues me."

Despite his words, his voice stayed quite monotone. It was starting to annoy me the cold way he spoke, as though he had ice in his breath. Though my first impression of him was of a bit of a Fop, it was quickly changing to that of an annoying man with a superiority complex, for that is what stuck in my mind. He truly gave the air that he was better than us all.

"They say you're indestructible, Quatermain," he said, breaking me from my thoughts. "Well, a witch doctor did bless me once," Mr. Q said, "I had saved his village. He said Africa would never allow me to die." Mr. Gray's head rose higher still, "But you're not in Africa now," he reminded Mr. Q., and Mr. Q. nodded slightly, "No."

It seemed as though the air was about to thicken, then my Captain broke in, "I confess a curiosity as to what the files say about Mr. Gray. We, all of us, have traits useful in this endeavor." He nodded towards Mr. Q., "A hunter," towards Mrs. Harker, "scientist," towards Skinner, "even Skinner has stealth." Skinner had taken a sip of the amber scotch, and it ran down, held within an invisible tube that was Skinner's throat, "Cheers," he toasted as I cringed slightly at the thought of seeing him eat someday. "What have you?" Captain asked Mr. Gray.

There was no amusement, no trace of anything other than that of sternness as Mr. Gray looked up and told us, "I have, experience."


	5. Chapter 5

Ch

Ch. 5

Experience? We all have experience, even I have experience! What kind of experience could this stern man have that could be so valuable to the league? My questioned was answered a few minutes later, after a short conversation between Mr. Q., and Mrs. Harker.

"Gray and I have met before, many years ago at Eton College," Mr. Q. stated, and Mrs. Harker jumped in, "A lecture, no doubt. You, the nation's hero, Dorian, the eager listening boy." Mr. Q.'s head shook very slightly, "Quite the reverse. It was Gray visiting Eton..." he turned from Mr. Gray and looked at Mrs. Harker, "-and I was the boy."

I had to bite my lip to keep from gasping. It was hard to imagine Mr. Q. as anything other than his old toad self, but to hear that he had been an 'eager listening boy' listening to Mr. Gray (who looked to be in his twenties) at Eton College?! It did not make sense; I let out my held breath. So, he was an immortal. Oh my, extraordinary indeed, I did not envy him.

Suddenly, Mr. Q. was pulling his gun from his jacket. He cocked it and looked around, seriousness sketched on his face. "What is it?" Mrs. Harker asked standing and Captain and I moved closer. My eyes went towards the balcony that surrounded the room, which was the only place anything could get us from. Should something come up the stairs, we would have the advantage of high ground and they would not last long, so an attack from there would be foolish. It would be from the balcony…

I was right. Guns were cocking above us one after another as men in black dress, with black covers on their faces, and wide-brimmed hats aimed for us from between the bookcases on the balcony. "Gray?" Mr. Q. asked as he lowered his gun. "They are not mine," Mr. Gray said, and seemed bored as well as amused.

"They're mine," a voice said, and we all turned towards it, myself in alarm. A large man with a shiny metal breastplate and matching half-mask walked in view from behind a bookshelf, his thickly trimmed fur coat flowing with him. Whom in the world, I wondered, but I had a good idea.

"First meetings usually warrant introductions," Mr. Q. told the man. "Of course. I am the Fantom," he said. "You are the League of so-called Extraordinary Gentlemen," he began for the spiraling stairs. "Introductions made," he stopped and starred at us all, and I could see now clearly that he was horribly scarred. Not even the mask could hide them, and I cringed at the sight. What torture had done that to him? I wondered, before he began talking again.

"Oh, and I'm scarred, Mr. Quatermain, not blind. Drop the gun," he ordered, and Mr. Q. did so, unwillingly. "Your mission is to stop me. That, of course, I cannot permit. So I give to you all a special one-time invitation. Join me." He said, and I could not believe my own ears, did he really think-?!

"You think we'll help start a war that will consume the planet?" For not the first time, my Captain's emotions matched my own. As usual, his words spoke for me. Even Mr. Q. joined in to help and said, "While you profit from your arms race?"

Fantom started walking down the stairs once more, "I cannot deny that fortunes are made in war. Imagine the riches a world war will yield." Skinner raised his glass slightly, "He's not wrong," he said, and looked towards us. Oh, how I wished for even the shrill voice of a spinster, so that I may shout 'Skinner!' in anger. "Speak for yourself," Mr. Gray said, and that would have to do for me as I glared at Skinner before looking back towards the Fantom.

The Fantom moved forward and stopped in front of Mr. Q., who stood there with his head high. His dropped gun went sailing across the floor as the Fantom kicked it away. I stared at them, tense, my hands twitching from the tension. It seemed my chance to prove myself was fast approaching. Indeed, Mr. Q. looked up to his right at the balcony, and a second later the first shot was fired as one of the Fantom's own men shot another! Without hesitation, I dropped down and pulled the two daggers concealed in the inner pockets of my boots before following Captain as cover while he pulled Mrs. Harker behind a bookshelf. A ladder sailed around the library, knocking several guns out of their owner's hands, and Mr. Gray's cane concealed a sword. Papers flew as books were blasted apart, and Skinner disappeared after soaking his face in alcohol.

Captain emerged from the bookcase, Mrs. Harker successfully hidden, just as men entered the bottom floor of the library. I turned to face them as Captain appeared beside me. "Draw your pistol!" the man shouted. "I walk a different path," Captain said, and his sword was revealed. Men were streaming from in now, and I ran behind the bookshelves to advance from the rear. My daggers entered the hollow between the bottom of their head and top of their neck, and most dropped without knowing what had hit them. The few who realized what happened turned quickly to shoot, only to have to block with their gun as I dropped low to slice.

People were shouting, but I could not tell what. A shot so close to my ear I felt the heat as it past startled me into a shock, which another of Fantom's men took advantage of, swinging the gun at my head. I did not even realize what had happened until I was on the ground where I had dropped. I thanked Kali for my quick reflex and jammed my dagger into the man's thigh, right through a main vein before backing up quickly. His blood would run quick, relief would be soon.

The men did not seem to end, and I realized too late that I had left one of my daggers in the man's thigh. I could not risk grabbing it now, and kicked the feet out from under another assailant. I stomped his stomach as I ran over him to another, whose shoulder I dislodged, and fainted on the spot. I shook my head in disgust, before startled at Mrs. Harker's shout of, "Dorian," whipped around to see Mr. Gray being shot over-and-over again. My eyes widened as I watched the man being killed before me.

He should have dropped dead on the spot as soon as the bullets stopped. Instead, he tilted his head, cut the strap's from the man's armor, and stabbed him. The man sank to his knees and choked out, "What are you?" Mr. Gray pulled out his sword, "I'm complicated."

With the last man dead, we collected ourselves. I shifted the dead men over before finding the one with my knife still in his thigh. I pulled it out slowly, and wiped the blood off on his clothes. Re-sheathing both daggers in my boots, I walked over to Captain and smiled, which he returned. There was no need to ask if the other was well, we both knew we were more than capable of coming through fine from something like that.

"I thought I was special," Skinner said, his face white anew, "You're invulnerable to harm." Mr. Gray's hand went up, "I don't like to boast. What happened to Mina?" he asked. "Oh, she's probably hip-deep in some sort of trouble," Mr. Q. said, walking back from where he had disappeared from the library.

"Don't be such an alarmist, Mr. Q. And my hips are none of your business," Mrs. Harker said, walking out and grabbing her hat from where it had fallen on the floor. One of the Fantom's men was not dead, and he rose and grabbed Mrs. Harker, a knife at her throat. Guns cocked as everyone prepared to shoot, even a new man, the one dressed as Fantom's men had, appeared from between the bookshelves and cocked his as well.

"Shoot. Go on!" The man challenged. Swords and guns were sheathed and lowered. "I guessed as much, that they would do anything to protect you." The man boasted, looking crazed. "See, now that's your biggest mistake. Thinking that I need them to protect me," and suddenly she was attacking him, latching to his neck. I gasped and stiffened as they fell to the floor. She was a vampire! Captain's hand found my shoulder, and he moved in front to block the view, to which I was extremely grateful for.

It must have been over, because the feral noises ended, and Captain stepped aside, saying, "Extraordinary." I kept my eyes to the side though. I hated the smell of blood when it was my time each month, I could not even imagine drinking it. "Boy, they told me European women had funny ways," the boy with the yellow hair entered the room. He pointed to his lip, "You missed a spot." Mrs. Harker looked away and wiped at it, "Excuse me," she said, "And you are?"

"Special Agent Sawyer of the American Secret Service," the boy said, and his voice held confidence and pleasantness. "Then America is aware of the situation?"  
Mr. Q. asked, stepping forward. "If war starts in Europe, how long will it take until it crosses the Atlantic?" the boy asked matter-of-factly with a half smile. "I followed ya. I knocked out a straggler, and I took his place."

"Very noble. But this is a private party, and you're not invited," Mr. Gray said, walking forward and leaning on his cane in his oh-so-much-more-superior-than-you manner. It annoyed me greatly. Mrs. Harker joined in quickly, "Actually, Dorian has declined," she said, and looked at him as if to say 'ha,' before turning to us and saying, "so we are one shy of a full deck."

"On the contrary, the battle was just the spur I needed," Mr. Gray said, and leaned on his cane. I was sure he was saying 'ha,' back as he said, "That and the thrill of a friendship renewed." He turned towards Sawyer, "So you're not needed." Did Mr. Gray have something against Sawyer? So it seemed as he glared at him. Sawyer's face fell, and he looked towards the ground defeated. I felt bad for him, after all he had done for us, how could Gray turn him away?

Mr. Q. stepped forward and took the gun Sawyer held out for him. He examined it and said in what seemed admiration mixed with confusion, "Winchester." Sawyer instantly perked up, "That's right. It's modified, American style." Mr. Q. positioned the gun to shoot, "American-style shooting too." Sawyer laughed, "Well, whatever it takes," he took the gun back, "You like it, I brought two."

Mr. Q. paused for only a moment, "You're in."


	6. Chapter 6

Ch

Ch. 6

After coming to the East London docks for one new recruit, we ended up with two. Superiority complex Dorian Gray, and American secret agent Sawyer. The league was growing ever the more interesting. Indeed, Mr. Gray acquired a matching hat to his suit and gave his library an uncaring look. If something like this had happened to my books, I would have raged for days. He just let out a shallow breath and suddenly his eyes met mine, and a no longer unaccustomed feeling of being uncomfortable entered me. "I seem to recall there being but one woman in this group before this mess. Now there are two, quite interesting, to say the least." My eyes widened, how had he…

My cap! My hands flew to my head, only to meet my bound hair. I shot darted looks around the room, only to see my cap suddenly in front of my eyes. "Miss this?" Skinner asked, and I smiled and grabbed it thankfully. I had not even noticed Skinner moving to pick it up, and he was not even invisible now! Captain had started to explain, and I heard him say, "-apprentice. We avoid scandal by dressing her as she was. We meant no offence." I felt Mr. Gray's eyes on me while I replaced my cap half-heartedly, not bothering to secure it properly. After a small battle of annoyance, I look back at him, only to see him looking towards his stairs. "Shall we?" He asked, and walked toward them without a glance.

Agitated, I walk next to Captain and we follow the arrogant fop down his staircase. Sawyer followed us to bring up the rear. With an aura of humbleness he said, "So ya really gotta dress as a man when you go out? Don't ya think that is a bit overboard?" He had not paused between his questions, and he did not seem to be the kind to understand a nod followed by a shake of the head, and would probably ask for a more definite answer that I could not provide. Captain saved me, "She does, she wishes to avoid problems as much as I, and while it is not preferable, it is practical."

Sawyer nodded, and smiled at me, "Not much of a talker, huh?" He did not mean anything by it, I knew, but I could not help but look away. "It is not that she does not wish to, but that she cannot." Captain explained. I just nodded my head as he apologized profusely. It was not that I was mad at him, that would be unfair. While ignorance cannot be an excuse, their really was no way for him to know. I just hated that I cannot communicate efficiently with anyone who does not know my signs. It was a hindrance to have to write to communicate with those who could only speak. If anything, I was mad at myself.

Skinner's arm swung back and grabbed me around the shoulders, "Oi Sawyer, be more considerate to the little mute, she _sensitive!"_ Skinner grinned down at me, his voice an octave higher than usual. Had I not been wearing my cap, he would probably be grinning wider at the look of horror that I knew adorned my face. I tried to break free of Skinner's grip on my shoulders, only to have the notion fail with futile effort. He had my arms pinned and I could not even hit him to get him away. He laughed as I squirmed, and I could hear Sawyer chuckling and Captain's noise of amusement. I glared daggers as hard as I could at Skinner, my face burning, and having no other options I pinched him as hard as I could.

His arm dropped and he mumbled something under his breath. I grinned in victory from under my cap and tilted my head in my conquest. Skinner frowned at me, and grabbed my cap. It came off easily since I had not secured it, and I gasped at what he had done. I reached for it quickly, and he held it over his head. "Oh no you don't. If the other women who have slapped me didn't get to cover their face, you don't either!"

My arms dropped to my sides as I stared at him. It was not hard to imagine him being slapped by other women, really, it was not. I just never imagined he would come out and say it like that. What, had he been hit so many times he now knew what to expect just before a woman hit him? Before I could stop it, I was smiling. Then, I was laughing. Not the beautiful laugh of people with voices, but my laugh, and I had to smother my mouth and nose with a hand to dim it. I waved for him to keep the hat and walked closer to Captain, only to have the hat dropped back on my head with the cloth removed. I looked back at Skinner who said, "Good girl," while smirking before he walked out of the house.

Sawyer walked past me as I stared after Skinner, confused, and he said, "You should laugh more often Marina." Then he disappeared, and I was so bewildered I had to look up at Captain for guidance. He just smiled down at me, and his eyes crinkled as they always did when he was truly happy. Suddenly, my confusion was not as important, and I just smiled back, happy to see Captain like this. He put his hand softly on my shoulder and gently pushed me out of Mr. Gray's gloomy house.

"So, what's the next port of call?" Dorian asked, and the happiness I had felt seemed to seep out until I was frowning again. I truly wondered why his voice had that sort of affect; perhaps he just had a bad voice. The kind people do not like to hear. On the other hand, it seemed maybe I was the only one who did not care to hear it…

"Paris. Just one last member to recruit," Captain told him, and it seemed his happiness was gone too. For once again, he was as stoic as ever. "Capture is more the word, and it will be quite a hunt," Quatermain said, and I raised a brow. Why would we have to capture a member, especially in Paris? There was nothing feral in that city!

"You make him sound like some kind of animal," Mrs. Harker said, voicing my confusion. I realized it was good to be on such a large team; at least one of them had to be thinking as I was. We descended the stairs and Mr. Quatermain said, "Oh, speaking thus, Mrs. Harker," He pointed towards the door to Mr. Gray's house, "Your conduct a moment ago...?" Skinner seemed to be through picking on me, because he turned on Mrs. Harker and said, "Indeed. We are all aquiver with curiosity."

"Well..." Mrs. Harker took a few steps forward so we could not see her face and continued, "My husband was Jonathan Harker. With a professor named Van Helsing,

we fought a dangerous evil. It had a name, Dracula. He was Transylvanian," she told us, and Skinner broke in, "Hmmm, European? One of those radicals the newspapers love to report on?" he asked. "I don't know, Mr. Skinner," she turned and pulled down her collar, showing us two pinprick scars on her neck, "Is the vampiric sucking of people's blood radical behavior?" she asked. There was no reply from anyone, in fact, most were looking away. I stared at the bites and shivered, I was once bitten on the leg by a dog, and that had been torture. I could not imagine being bitten by a vampire.

The waters shifted, and despite Mrs. Harker's sad story, my gaze shot to the dock, a grin on my face. Captain had heard it too and said, "Ah, Our transportation is forthcoming," he headed down the dock, and I was close at his heels. "A boat?" Sawyer asked, and my smile grew. "It travels on water, if that's what you mean," Captain said, and we came to a stop at the edge of the dock, the water foaming beneath us. "And beneath it," Then it rose, in all its white and silver glory. My smile had reached its limits, and my cheeks protested the pain. I looked back at the shocked faces on the deck, and my cheeks screamed in agony. "Whoa," was the only sound uttered, and by Sawyer. Captain raised his arms towards Nautilus and said, "Behold Nautilus, The Sword of the Ocean." His arms dropped to his hips, "Next stop, Paris."

We entered the Nautilus and everyone's astonishment seemed to double. Ishmael was waiting for us and I returned his smile brightly, glad to be home. Captain asked me to show everyone to their room before I changed and I nodded in understanding, motioning for everyone to follow me. Everyone was silent as we walked towards the rooms. I stopped suddenly, and someone bumped into me. I looked at Sawyer, and he apologized quickly. I brought my finger to my mouth and bit softly, where was I suppose to put him? He had not been apart of the plans, and I had forgotten to ask Captain. I mentally chastised myself as Mrs. Harker asked, "Is there a problem?"

I looked at her, she had a voice that seemed as though it was always belittling others. Perhaps because she was a scientist and I was not? Maybe she just did not like me, probably. I made a quick decision and shook my head, motioning for them to follow again. We reached the first room and I opened the door, pointing to Sawyer. He stepped away from the group and smiled at me, he said his thanks and entered the room for inspection. I hoped Captain had not made any special plans for him.

I dropped off Skinner next, "Trying to get rid'a me early, eh?" he had asked as he left the group. I nodded, which made him laugh, before leading to the next room, where we dropped off Mr. Gray, without a word, I may add. Mrs. Harker gave a curt nod and a quick 'thank you,' when she left us, leaving me alone with the toad. I figured he would have kept silent as well, but he spoke to me. "How long till we get to Paris?" He asked and I stopped. How could I best tell him? I could hold up fingers, but that was so juvenile, and he already thought little of me. I pulled out my pen and paper and using my hand for support wrote,

"17 hours, if all goes well."

"I handed him the paper, and he looked skeptic, "That's impossible," he told me. I smiled and took back the paper, with a smile I wrote,

"No, it's extraordinary."

I grinned as I handed it to him, and walked past to open the door for him. I saw with wide eyes that he was smiling as he walked through. He took the door and said, "Yes, indeed it is."


	7. Chapter 7

Ch

Ch. 7

I retired to my room to change. I picked up my simplest Indian garb, and wrapped a shawl around me for good measure. As I headed for the door, I noticed something on my desk. Walking over I saw it looked like a messenger bag, only with a smaller pouch. I picked it up and opened it, for it had a book in it, as I could tell by the shape. When I saw it, I smiled in happiness, for it was a new blank journal. On the first page, written in my Captain's script, was this note:

For when they refuse to learn your signs and I am not around.

It was written in his native tongue, and I grinned brighter at my comprehension of it. I was still quite good, despite hardly using it. For a moment I could do nothing but stare at the deep blue of the book, then I realized what a spectacle I'd be if someone was to enter my room, and hurried to put it away. As I did, I noticed a discrete pocket that held another 'quill with ink within.' I grinned widely, for I loved to watch the ink drip in its case, while it never spilled. I secured my bag and removed my shawl, slinging the bag over my head and letting it rest at my hip before rewrapping myself in my shawl.

I hurried out of my room in search of Captain, who would probably be at the helm speaking with Ishmael. Several workers passed me on the way and I smiled happily at them, which they returned. Despite what people say, it is better to be comfortable in your clothing than to be 'fashionable.' At the moment, I was in the lap of luxury. Dressed neither as a boy nor in thick and uncomfortable garb, I do not think anything could make me happier. Well, I could, but I was content for now…

Captain was indeed where I had predicted him, with Ishmael in tow. I walked up to them and grinned as I signed my thanks to Captain, bowing low after. He chuckled at my display, for he knew I would not hug him with the others around. "Actually Marina, it was Ishmael whom thought of your gift and arranged for it while we were at Mr. Gray's," Captain told me. My eyes widened in surprise as I hurriedly turned towards Ishmael and bowed to him. As I stood, I signed, _"Thank you for your thoughtful gift, Ishmael."_

He laughed and nodded, "Anytime Marina, let me know when you've filled that one." I nodded enthusiastically, for I knew it would indeed fill up soon. I intended to get to know the League well, if they were to be staying on my one-day-to-be ship. I turned back to Captain, _"I put Tom down the corridor from Skinner. Is there anything to be done?"_ I questioned, and he shook his head. "Good, Ishmael and I are just finishing up our routes. You may go work in the engine room if you wish," Captain dismissed me, and I ran out happily. If there was anything better than not dressing as a boy, it was working down below.

I smiled as I skillfully ran down the long corridors, dodging those I passed cheerfully as I ran, waving as I did. I reached the door to below and Dayanand opened it, on his way out. I asked of his health and he said he was fine before inquiring mine. I told him the same before waving my farewell and dropping down below. I slid down the ladder and landed giddy from the speed of falling. I walked along the pipes as I looked for Vishal who, despite not having a title, was much the leader of the 'underground' of the ship. I smiled as I passed the workers, well, the ones whom were not busy with their noses currently in their station. Which in truth were most, for it was indeed a full time job to keep the ship running. I was merely glad that they could soon get some well-deserved rest when the night shift switched with the day.

"Finally back, eh girl?"

His booming voice drowned out the noises that engulfed the engine room. Like a child to her father, or rather, a sister to her older brother, I turned to in the voices direction and beamed. With a running start, I leapt to Vishal's open arms and my wizened breath of a giggle burst past my lips. In the beginning when I had had to sneak into the engine room just to get down here, Vishal had found me poking about and taken me under his wing. Of course, that was after I managed to avoid his men when he sent them after me to get rid of me. When he had seen his men, tired from the chase, he had given one of his booming laughs, and called me out. I had refused to come down from the high pipe I had climbed on, and stayed up there until I was coaxed down with the promise of being taught something neat.

Of course, as soon as I was down, he had grabbed me and would have thrown me out if I had not managed to slip from his grasp and disappear within the pipes for a few hours. Apparently I caused so much trouble Captain needed to come down to fetch me, and had found me asleep next to a warm pipe. Captain had carried me away to my room, and the next day when I was determined to sneak back down below to raise mischief for the man who had lied to me, I found the door opened for me, and many new things to be learned waiting.

Since then, Vishal had been the one of the closest in my adoptive family. He was brother, while Captain was (in my mind) father, and Ishmael (so I joked with him) was mother. I had no sister, but I had several cousins and a few uncles as well. Who knows, maybe with the League now, my family could grow…

I am not sure how long I was down in the engine room, but I managed to be covered with oil and grease from head to toe regardless of the time. Not even Vishal would touch me by the time I left; the laughter of the workers followed me as I playfully slammed the door shut behind me. I smiled down at my dirty clothes, so much for making an impression. As I walked down the halls, I noted it did not really matter, considering it was long past due the time of first impressions. I sighed; I had been at least hoping to shift their opinion a bit being dressed as a girl. I had never really been good at that though, so if they could not take it, I suppose they would have to work on that problem on their own…

I met Mr. Gray in the hall then, and I stiffened at the anticipation of what could happen. Would he just ignore me once more (something I would be happy about), or would he insult me (which has a higher probability of happening). Apparently he was learning to multi-task for he found a way to do both. He looked me up and down with a sneer (insult), before walking by me without a word (ignore). Not to help my image but I huffed like an angry bull and stomped to my room. What was that fop doing down this corridor anyway? Why could he not just stay in his room as the others had…had?

I realized I still did not know the time and could not be sure what the League was up to at the moment. Captain obviously had not needed me for he had not sent a messenger for me. So perhaps the others were all resting now. It was after all eight when we had enlisted Mr. Gray and gotten Sawyer as well. Mayhap I should rest as well, for tomorrow evening we would need to enlist (capture?) our last League member.

Without realizing it my body had grown extremely limp, my mind and spirit weary. Had I spent too much time down below? It was a good possibility, though it was also as good a possibility that the excitement of meeting the League and them discovering I was a girl could have something to do with it too. "Marina?" I was tired, but I knew that voice, despite just meeting him. I turned to Skinner and smiled wearily. I had not eaten for a good while, and I was very tired for 'some' reason. I leaned against the wall, no doubt leaving a mark that would later need to be cleaned. "I was hoping to see ya as a girl the next time I saw ya, not a grease heap. You okay?" he asked, his black gloves reaching out to grasp my arm and shoulders. This time I let him, and pointed him to my room as I leaned against him, raising my hand to cover my mouth as I yawned loudly.

"You been up all night, love?" He asked. Excuse me, but was he referring to me as, 'love?' I sighed inwardly and let it pass, having no energy to hit him, and nodded my head. Knowing he did not know my signs and not wanting to smudge Ishmael's gift, I made the motion of pulling out a pocket watch and tapped the 'watch,' with a questioning, albeit tired, look. It took Skinner a moment before he got it, and he told me the sun had just risen. I had indeed spent the night working without even realizing it, and with no food since midday yesterday. Perhaps I wanted myself to faint?

Skinner opened my door and led me into my room, sitting me on my bed. He looked me up and down with disapproval, then at his dirty jacket before looking around. He walked over to my dresser and opened my drawers, pulling out a dark green outfit and putting it on my bed next to me. "Change into that love, then go to bed, alright? I'll go tell ol' Nemo what's what and get him to get you food, how's that?" I smiled gratefully to him telling Captain, but shook my head to the food. I would sleep, and then eat later; I needed no one to serve me food because of my own mistake. It was my own fault I had not eaten in so long.

Skinner just nodded his head and walked out the door, shutting it behind him. Had he even taken notice to my command? I doubted it; in any case, it was too late now. I quickly slid from my grimy clothes and slipped into the fresh pair. The soft material was a joy, and before I realized it, I was wrapped in my shawl and fast asleep on my bed…


	8. Chapter 8

Ch

Ch. 8

I woke to the smell of oranges. I scrubbed the 'sand' from my eyes with the palms of my hands, and blinked back the tears as the hard crust scratched my eyes and pulled at my eyelashes. With a grimace, I opened my eyes fully and saw a plate with cut oranges sat upon my nightstand. Next to it was a glass of water, which I gulped down gratefully, for my mouth was sticky with filth. The oranges I devoured hungrily, and I have to admit though the orange was now warm and turning, it tasted delightful.

I wiped the juice from my mouth and licked my fingers clean when I was finished. Though still hungry, what I had eaten would tie me over until I walked to the kitchen to return my plate. Whoever had brought me food had also taken my dirty clothes, and had placed my bag on my desk. I walked over and slung it over my shoulder, patting it to make sure my book and quill was still there. Walking to the bed I quickly wrapped my shawl around me and took my plate and cup in my hands.

I shut my door behind me and sang an old lullaby in my head as I headed for the kitchen. I am not quite sure where I know it from, and I do not know all the words, but the melody is calm and repetitive. If I had a voice, I think I would like to hum it over and over while I worked. I sighed as I entered the kitchen; I knew it was a waste of my time to wish for such a thing, but I could not help myself. It is almost the same as when you have a friend who has something you want. You always want to use it but never get the chance.

Usually when it is a case like that, as soon as you get what you desire, you find it not to be so great and it is rare you ever use it beyond the first day. It was the novelty that gripped you, but it could not hold you and it becomes a memory. Maybe voices were like that, I just want it, but if I ever got it, I would not care about it. Yes, that is exactly how it would be…

Another sigh, and I dropped the dishes on the counter harder than I meant to. The glass cracked along the top of the cup, but I did not realize it. Why was I now so concerned with not being able to talk? Why did I now care that I could not speak, when I have not cared since I was first learning my signs? What had changed? I shook my head fiercely, my body shaking. I was so disgusted with myself I could not stand it. I was jealous, wasn't I? I had never cared about being able to speak because I had always been able to with Captain and Ishmael and the crew. My signs had been my words, my voice. My signs did not work anymore; it was as if I had lost my voice again.

The glass shattered under my hand. It shocked me away from my depression as I quickly drew my bleeding hand back and stared at the glass in shock. Absently I reached out and picked up the glass barehanded, wincing as I was cut again. When had I become so weak? Did I really believe having a voice would make me a better person, or make things easier? Tears filled my eyes. If I could speak, things would be so much simpler for everyone. I could defend my own honor, no one would have to stop what they were doing to look at me just so they could see what I needed to tell them, I could warn people if something was wrong, I could tell them all how much I love them…

I disposed of the glass as the tears finally fell. It wasn't fair, it wasn't fair! What had I done that had been so horrible that I was not allowed a voice of my own?

Footsteps made me gasp and shock my tears to a stop. Without thinking, I swiped my tears away and scrubbed my nose to make sure they would not return. "Marina, there you are! What are you doing?" Maitreya's voice called from across the kitchen, I turned to him and smiled reassuringly, yet he still gasped. He rushed forward, "What have you done to yourself, Marina?" he asked in alarm as his hand reached up and his fingers brushed my cheek. He drew his hand back and I saw blood. Oh Kali, it must have smeared when I wiped my face! I quickly signed to him, _"Don't worry! I accidentally broke a glass and cut my hand, I rubbed my face by accident, I'm fine!"_

He gave me a look of disbelief before pulling me to a cabinet and pulling down spare rags. "You're lying to me Marina, there's too much blood on your face for it to have been an accident," he told me as he wet a rag and started dabbing at my hand. I breathed in through my teeth as he cleaned my hand, my jaw clenching as he pulled out pieces of glass. He rapped my hand in one of the spare rags and wet another before scrubbing at my face. Despite the fact that he was only five years older than me, he treated me like a child. I was glaring at him by the time he pulled away, seemingly satisfied with his handiwork. "Your face is red, but at least not with blood anymore," he told me, shutting the cabinets and disposing of the glass and rags, which were bloodier than I expected them to be.

"_Thank you,"_ I signed when he had turned back to me, and I could not meet his eyes as I did. I heard him sigh and looked up a bit, staring at his shoulders. "I won't ask, and you already know the crews behind you so…" I looked up and met his eyes, managing a smile. He returned it, "Captain Nemo needs you to help him prepare for something, he's waiting at the Helm for you. I'll see you later, okay?" he said, walking past me. I waved goodbye and waited until he had disappeared to frown again. That had been close, he had almost seen me crying, and he had probably already guessed too…

I sighed and headed for the helm, prepping myself for meeting Captain.

'Things will be fine, you'll get used to writing in the journal. They might be willing to learn some basic signs! They will learn my body language and they will be able to interpret from that. Things will be back to normal soon, they will leave and it will be just my family again, they understand me no matter what.'

I looked down sadly, walking with my eyes on the floor. If Skinner stayed on the ship after the League was over, I would be okay with that, he could be my new uncle. Tom could stay too, he was nice, he could be my brother. Even Mr. Q could come visit sometimes, maybe as a grandfather, as long as his visits were short. Mrs. Harker and Mr. Gray could go elope somewhere and live in his dreary house for the rest of their immortal lives.

That was mean, no matter how true, and I had to give a breath of giggles. I reached the helm in a better mood, and grinned softly as I saw Captain waiting there for me. Things would adjust, no matter what was to come. Life had a way of making things fall into place like that…


	9. Chapter 9

Ch. 9

Captain explained the situation as we walked to the fish holding room where the netted League member would appear. Apparently, I had slept the day away, and it was now eight in the evening. I giggled softly and signed, "_Sorry Captain." _He grinned down at me with a knowing look, for it was not the first time I had stayed below all night only to sleep the next day far away. "Just make sure you sleep tonight, understand? If you cannot, lie in bed and count sharks," Captain told me with a smile, and I looked at him, my mouth an 'O' with pointed ends. Captain was the only one who knew my motto on sharks, 'If it's not dead, it's not good.' It was not that I truly _hated_ them it is just you develop a dislike when you hear the story that you would have been 'shark bait' had you not had a miracle and ended up on the top of a ship as it emerged from below the surface. _"That's horrible!" _I told him, but I was laughing too.

We entered the room and I was less than shocked to see chains and spears. I smiled at everyone and waved my hellos, some waved, and some nodded their head, but all bowed to Captain. Ishmael stood up from where he had been sitting against one of the rooms thick column braces and said, "I'll watch for the flair, Captain," before nodding and exiting the room. I surveyed the thick chains for a moment with my hands on my hips. Kali, you would think they were capturing Mr. Hyde with all this gear!

Wait…

No, it cannot be, it is not possible!

Nevertheless, the last report I had heard did say he was on the move… What if he had been moving to Paris? I looked up at Captain in wonder, could it really be…? Captain smiled down at me, "From the look on your face I assume you have realized who shall be joining us?" he asked, and I gaped. I shook my head in disbelief; surely, I had to be wrong. It just was not possible!

Captain smiled, not the smile that crinkles his eyes, but the one of mild amusement that he reserved for in from of the crew. "Would you like me to tell you then?" I nodded softly; did I really want to know? "Mr. Hyde," Captain said, and I could have sworn that smile turned to a bit of a smirk.

I stared up at Captain. Had I heard wrong, because it really just sounded as though he had said, 'Mr. Hyde.' Captain chuckled, "What's wrong Marina, getting cold feet?" My face fell into one of displeasure. A while back, on a past trip to England, I had met a widow whom had said the infamous Mr. Hyde had been harassing her 'for the longest time.' She told me she was at the end of her rope and she had seemed so truly depressed that I had had to do something. Therefore, I had written on one of my papers and told her about how Captain and I sail all over and if we ever see Mr. Hyde, I would persuade Captain to capture him. I told her I would also give him a good slap from her through me when we did.

I was lying, for I knew Captain had no interest in the monstrous beast. The women had just looked so sad that I knew I had to do something to make her feel better. It was a mistake, but I did indeed talk to Captain about, and ever since he had found ways to bring it up just to tease me. He had made a point of telling me that he promised to get me a chance to slap Mr. Hyde. Looks like my chance had come.

The men were laughing at me, and I knew I was pouting as I stared sourly at them. They did not have to rub it in; I was just trying to make the poor woman feel better! _"You're all terrible!"_ I signed before crossing my arms and looking away from them. It just made them laugh harder, as I knew it would. I held the pout for another moment before putting my arms on my hips and grinning.

"Hey Marina," Maitreya called, "If you do slap Hyde, I'll take you as my wife, how's that?" That sent the room into hysterics, even Captain was laughing softly. I laughed to, and turned to Captain, "I've decided not to slap Hyde," I signed to him seriously, making my face serious. The crew turned into a frenzy, calling out and jostling Maitreya. He was laughing too though, so he knew it was all in jest.

The good fun stopped short as the chain connected through the floor began to reel in automatically. The flair Ishmael had spoken of must have been shot. The loading door opened fully- I had not noticed it was cracked open- and I saw a large mass wrapped in a brown net being pulled toward us. The ship shook madly as the net entered the room, the loading door shutting automatically. I gasped at the large being on the floor, who looked unsure and stunned.

The crew jumped into action, and those holding chains went to work quickly to bind the giant that was Mr. Hyde. I watched in awe at the beast was chained carefully, yet quickly, the chains then hooking into the floors holders. Hyde was shaking his head, like a dog clearing water from his fur. I looked at him in confusion; he did not look that scary now. In fact, dazed and confused though he was, he looked lost and scared. His eyes were shifting quickly around him, and light was reentering them as his senses returned to him.

He looked so confused, so very confused. As confused as I was when I had awoken surrounded by Indians in a place I did not know? Without thinking I took a step forward, and then another. Was he as scared as I had been too? Did he just want something familiar around him as I had? Or perhaps even just one kind face, instead of the masks of confusion and disbelief? Captain had been mine, where was his…?

"Marina! Cease!"

Captain's voice shocked me from my daze, and my lidded eyes opened wide. Hyde's senses must have returned, for his eyes shot to meet mine, and I stared. His eyes were blue, and I could see no red glint in them! How could that be though? I had always heard that someone truly evil, as the widow had described Hyde, had the red glint. Where was his?

Hyde smirked and raised his arm, bringing it down in a swift motion. I just barely jumped back in time to avoid it, and I gasped as I did. The spear clattered to the floor as I lost my grip on it, and without thinking, I reached forward to grab it. While my conscious mind did not think, my subconscious knew not to let Hyde get a hold on the spear.

I grabbed the spear as Hyde stood up, and from my crouched position on the floor, I stared up at him. He was truly a menacing sight, and I finally knew why the widow was so distressed. To be plagued by such a beast every night would have terrified me to the point of hopelessness too…

Hyde seemed to be done with me, for he tugged at his chains with such strength the room trembled. I could feel the deep vibrations through my whole body, and knew others beyond this room felt it too. Hyde roared in feral ways, and I stood quickly, tripping on my feet as I crashed into Captain.

"What were you thinking, Marina?" he asked me in a fierce whisper as he clutched my arms. I looked at him with sincerity, for I did not truly know, and shrugged my shoulders helplessly. Captain must have understood, or he dismissed it now that I was safe, for he released me and shouted at the men to hold Hyde in place. He had picked up a spear to defend himself as well.

I took my place and held my spear to try to deter him for moving too much, but his growls and wrenching did not dim. When I room shook I had to grip the spear as tight as I could so I did not loose it again, for it killed me that I had dropped it before.

The chains were not holding, and he managed to rip several out. They hung on him uselessly, as did his ripped coat, why did he wear such things? From the corner of my eye, I saw two people enter the room. I chanced a glance and saw Mr. Q and Sawyer. "Holy-" Sawyer did not get a chance to finish before Deepak was sent sailing by him as a grunting Hyde hit him with a balled fist. The men were yelling, trying to get close, and shouting suggestions. None of it worked, and before anyone could stop it, Hyde swung again Udit went sailing out of the room. I gasped and turned to him, I saw him lift his head dazed and sighed in relief before turning back to Hyde with a frown. How dare he do such a thing to Udit!

After that, several more were hit as the rest of the League walked into the pandemonium. "Stay back, if you value your life," Mr. Q. warned them as he walked over to Captain and where another was thrown. I turned to see Mr. Gray pulling Skinner off the ground. Skinner pulled back quickly, but I could not hear them over Hyde's growls. Even more men were thrown, and Kanan landed next to me, looking confused. I leaned down to defend us both and helped him lean up into a sitting position. I sighed as Kanan stood shakily and I followed him up. Why was no one stopping this?"

"Mr. Hyde," Mr. Q. finally said, and it was a prayer answered when Hyde turned sharply to stare at him. "You've done terrible things in England. So terrible that you fled the country," Mr. Q walked forward towards Hyde and stood in front of him as Hyde paced and swung his chains angrily. "Now, I'm ashamed to say that her Majesty's government is willing to offer you amnesty, in return, for your services," Mr. Q. stopped pacing in front of Hyde and asked, "Do you want to go home?"

I gasped at what happened next, Hyde spoke! The wild and feral beast could talk! "Home," he said in a deep and coarse voice as he stopped to look at Mr. Q., "'Home's where the heart is,' that's what they say. And I have been missing London so. Its sorrow is as sweet to me as a rare wine."

…

The beast…spoke poetry…

I stared at him in shock. There was no way this was possible. It was too unbelievable! As I stared Hyde said, "I'm yours." He looked at Sawyer and said, "Don't be afraid," as he turned around. "Who says I'm afraid?" Sawyer asked as his chin jutted out in defense.

The ring beside me holding Hyde's chain ripped off the wall. If I could scream, I would have. For the chain passed so close to me, I felt the air shift as it passed by my arms, which I had thrown over my face for whatever protection they offered. I could hear Hyde screaming, "You do!" As I brought my arms down and quickly checked to make sure I was truly unharmed. Breathing heavily from my racing heart, I stared at Hyde in shock as he yelled, "You stink of fear!"

I was lucky attention was drawn to Hyde, for no one saw my fear. I smiled slightly in relief as I sighed. "Quite the parlor trick," Mr. Gray said, and this time he seemed amused that someone could have been hurt. I frowned sourly at him. "You wait till you see my next one," Hyde told him, before backing away slightly.

With a pained expression of fierce concentration, Hyde growled through clenched teeth. Suddenly his body was convulsing where he stood as burst of smoke surrounded him. His feral yells increased with every new burst of smoke and through each cloud, more and more of his body disappeared. It was gruesome to see, for his body was no longer proportioned. Mounds of hard looking flesh and sagging skin. He seemed in so much pain as he…transformed, and his shrieks became truly horrid.

Until finally there was just a man. Gasping for breath with arms spread wide open. He fell to the floor in what I could only assume was exhaustion. The chains seemed too much for his form, and shaking madly, he shed them awkwardly as he stood up slowly. Still shaking as a leaf caught in the wind, he gripped his torn pants to keep them from falling. "Dr. Jekyll, at your service," his said shakily. His voice was no longer coarse but low and slightly off, I think that was due to the shaking though.

"So…" I heard Mr. Q. say, but I did not look at him, "the League is set." I nodded my head, but I think it was partly from shock. 'Dr. Jekyll' was half-naked right in front of me! I felt my chest and face burn, and I knew I was blushing badly. I had seen several like this on the ship before, but never had I seen someone like this whom I had not none for many a year. I turned my head in shame, hoping no one would notice, for I had been staring in my shock. Without a second thought, I walked up to the Doctor, pulled my shawl from my shoulders, and shoved it into his face.

Hey everyone this is WitchWhoLovesHim and this is just a chapter dedication to SweetRevengeful-aka-lamika who has given me lots of motivation through their encouraging messages. However, I also want to really thank everyone who has submitted reviews, you've all been amazing motivation as well! I hope you all continue to read Marina's story till the end and enjoy it Also, I hope this chapter makes up for the shortness of the last one, I tried really hard on it!

P.S. If you see anything wrong, don't be afraid to tell me, I really want to improve my writing and I'm sure your critique will help a lot - I won't be mad and do something stupid like quit the story, I swear! hahaha


	10. Chapter 10

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Ch. 10

He stared at it for a moment, before looking up at me with a look of confusion, "Um, do I-?" My eyes widened as he looked at me and I looked away, feeling my face burn even worse, 'Do not look at me like that!' I pleaded mentally. I nodded several times quickly and thought, 'Oh please just take it and stop this!'

Stop what? It was not his fault he was currently in this situation, half-naked in front of me. I am not sure if I want to know what I meant when I thought for him to stop. In any case, he took my shawl carefully from my hands and pulled it on sloppily with one hand, keeping one hand on his pants.

I frowned in fear, for it was not good enough! I quickly grabbed the shawl and tugged it around his shoulders, tying it into place so it would cover him. I could not meet his eyes for I knew my face burned with fire, and as soon as I was done, I backed away quickly. I so wanted to hide by Captain's side as I had done when I was a child and was first allowed to leave my room. The Indians that surrounded me were so unfamiliar, even though they did not look _too_ different from me. My hair was black as theirs were, but my skin was paler. The pale of one who had not long been in the sunlight, and my eyes were pale as well, green with grey flecks in them.

With my fear of the unfamiliar, only Captain seemed not so odd. True, he was as different looking as the others, but he had been the only one calm. The only one who looked at me with soft eyes and smiled when I had first woken surrounded by him and several of the crew. I had been so scared of the confused looking faces, of the strange language, of their odd looks and strangeness. Only Captain smiled at me calmly, and I had lunged to hide in his chest so I no longer had to see the others faces.

I could not do that this time, for Captain had walked over to retrieve a message. I took a step towards him, and chanced a look at Dr. Jekyll. He was holding the knot of my tie in his hand and staring at it. I raised an eyebrow as I felt my face cool slightly; it was not that bad now that he was covered. I did not realize I was staring again until he looked up at me.

My eyes widened, not from being caught, but from the color of his eyes. It was the same cool blue as Mr. Hyde's was! I am not quite sure why it shocked me so, for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde both shared the same colored red hair as well (though Hyde was balding and Jekyll's was still full). I think it was because Hyde was the vision of a beast, and Jekyll standing in front of me still shaking, was the picture of fear. I did not realize a beast and a man would have the same eyes…

I looked away from his confused face as I heard Captain say, "We have three days." Three days for what, to get to Venice? I was not worried, that could be considered light exercise for the Nautilus. Sawyer looked bewildered and said, "Three day?" He laughed as the disbelief showed on his face, "Can this canoe do that?" I smiled at Sawyer, though he was not looking my way and did not see. Captain saw though, and smiled a small smile back, before turning to Sawyer himself, "You underestimate the Nautilus, sir. You underestimate her greatly."

I nodded my head in pride of the Nautilus. One day the fastest and most outstanding ship in the world would be all mine. Well, not if I married, then the ship would be half my husband's. Whom am I kidding, if I were to marry, _I_ would belong to my husband too. I shook my head to force away the thought, my smile falling. If never marrying is what it took to be free and the rightful Captain of my ship, than I would never marry. When I found the man who loved me and I him, he would be willing to swear himself to me and no other without a marriage. Yes, my true love would be willing to do so, I knew it.

While lost to my thoughts, I had not noticed the men filing out. When I came out of my thoughts, the last stragglers were limping to the door and casting wary eyes on Dr. Jekyll. Indeed, they were not the only ones leaving. Mrs. Harker and Mr. Gray had disappeared, while I just saw Sawyer's coat tails flapping as he walked out the door. Captain was saying something to Mr. Q., but before I could go and stand by his side, Skinner was in my path.

"Oi Marina, you feelin okay? You look much better than ya did this mornin'," He said, and I could see his smile traced in his white make-up. I grinned happily up at him, for he had saved me from sleeping in the hall, which I have indeed been known to do. I nodded to him, and his smile grew, "Good, would'a hated for some desperate lad to grab you while you were passed out in the hall," he chuckled at his crude joke. My face burned suddenly, and I must have looked horrified, for he started laughing harder.

It was not as though I did not know what some of the men thought of me. I was after all the only female they see when they are on the Nautilus. However, I liked to ignore it, I refused to acknowledge it. I never wanted to think of the men as seeing me as more than a little sister; thinking about being more with one of them would make things awkward. Not to mention it things went sour, I would lose a friend I have known my whole remembered life long and living on the same ship with them might become unbearable. I did not want to be the cause of someone having to leave the ship, to leave his home…

Skinner was still laughing, "Why so embarrassed, Marina? You can't tell me you really don't think the guys-!"

"-Excuse me," Dr. Jekyll's voice stopped Skinner, and both he and I looked at him, for he had stepped forward to stand next to us. "Your talk is in jest, but can't you see it makes her uncomfortable?" he asked, and it was said in such a feeble way it made my heart ache. Skinner had stopped laughing, and looked the now only slightly trembling Doctor up and down. He looked over at me with a smirk, "Do I make you uncomfortable, Marina?" He asked coyly. I glared at him and punched his shoulder. Not as hard as when we were in the Automobile, but close. 'Hymp,' I thought, 'I won't be sorry, he did deserve it, after all!' I told myself resolutely.

Skinner laughed as his shoulder was pushed back, for he moved back right before I had hit. He laughed again; "See, much better without the cap," he told me before turning away. He stopped and turned to look at the doctor, "Nice shawl, looks awful on you," he said nonchalantly. Dr. Jekyll's shakes were gone, but he was still slightly hunched, "I'm only wearing it so Marina isn't uncomfortable. I don't mean to look good or bad." Skinner's head tilted back in my direction, "huh, that so?" before he turned and walked out of the room. I felt my face heat again, for he had said my name…

Wait.

No! It was because he had caught my unease at him being half-naked, that is why I was embarrassed, and only that! It was an awkward moment as I realized Skinner had left me alone, and that Captain was still talking by the door with Mr. Q. I looked sideways shiftily, and saw Dr. Jekyll looking at the ground. I sighed and looked towards the ceiling. What was I to do now? I knew I would be the one to get him new clothes and take him to his room.

"Marina," Captain called, and I rushed forward gratefully as Mr. Q. left the room, thankful for the excuse to leave the awkwardness. Captain raised an eyebrow at my face and leaned forward, whispering, "Why are you blushing, Marina?" I made a face, and with my back to the doctor discreetly signed, _"Skinner tried to say something bad."_ Captain's eyebrows rose in alarm, for he did not like foul talk around me, and I quickly finished, _"Dr. Jekyll stopped him before it was really bad, though!" _

"Did he now?" Captain said, and straightened, turning towards the doctor. I looked too, and saw he was staring at us with a lowered head. Captain stared before looking down at me, "Why is he wearing your shawl?" I turned my head and coughed a bit, knowing I would be blushing soon. "Marina-?" he said, but I rushed forward and gave Dr. Jekyll a push towards the door. I turned to give a smile full of fake cheer at Captain and signed that I would get Jekyll situated before grabbing his arm and forcing him to move faster. I could not wait to get away from Captain's laughing eyes.

Side Note:

I've made it to chapter 10 and I'm not the least bit bored with writing it! This is an amazing first and I want to thank everyone who has read and reviewed for it has been my greatest motivation and I'm very grateful! Thank you all!

WitchWhoLovesHim 3


	11. Chapter 11

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Ch. 11

I was so flustered. How could Captain laugh like that? It was not my fault it was so awkward to have the man who had _just_ been Hyde be almost naked in front of me! I did not even realize where I was walking until I heard Dr. Jekyll say, "Um, excuse me-?"

I stopped, where were we? Stupid question, we were three halls over from where we needed to be to get Dr. Jekyll new clothes. I grudgingly looked down the hall as I thought of the best way to get back to where we needed to be without Dr. Jekyll realizing I had made a mistake. "-Ahem… Marina?" I looked at the doctor and tilted my head to show I was listening. He seemed flustered too, and for a moment, I did not know why. Then I saw it.

I was still holding his arm! I had not dropped it and had been leading him down the hall like this the whole time! With a gasp from shock, I pulled my hands back and clasped them behind my back. I could feel my face heat as I smiled awkwardly at him, hoping he was not too mad about it. How I wished for the anger-squashing giggles girls with a voice had. It certainly would come in handy…

Dr. Jekyll seemed surprised as I abruptly pulled away, and gave a small, timid laugh when I smiled. "Where exactly are we headed?" he asked, and a small smile traced his features. It really was amazing how different his smile was from the one Mr. Hyde had sarcastically made before. His was so… kind.

I smiled back, not the over exaggerated fake one from before, but a small real one. I opened my bag and pulled out my new book and ink quill. I quickly scrawled my note to him, "I'll be showing you your room, and getting you some new clothes." I turned the book so that he could read it, and he looked confused as he did. He looked up and met my eyes, "Do you choose not to speak, or can you not?" he asked me earnestly. I smiled softly at this; at least he did not beat around the bush. "I do not choose not to speak, Dr. Jekyll," I wrote, and I did not have to turn it, for he came to stand next to me and read over my shoulder.

"I see," he said, and I nodded. With a motioning hand, I started once more to lead him to his new room, but first, clothes. We walked in silence until we made it too the laundry room. I made a rough guess of Dr. Jekyll's size and pulled a dry, white Indian garb from where it hung to dry. I walked over and held it out to him with a smile.

He took it gratefully, and my shawl slipped from its knot as he grabbed the clothes. "Oh," he muttered as he quickly leaned to catch it before it hit the ground. He looked up at me from his crouched position and smiled, "Sorry." He stood up and handed me the shawl, was he going too walk to his room naked? I must have looked panicked, because he quickly said, "Don't worry; I'll change in this room, is that alright?"

I nodded quickly and departed, shutting the door behind me. I could feel my heart in my throat, and I swallowed hard. What was going on? I had seen several men even more exposed than Dr. Jekyll; in fact, I had walked in on Maitreya bare once! Which is how the marriage jokes started, claiming he had taken my innocent eyes, and that it was his duty to marry me now. He always found ways to ask me to marry him, just like before Hyde was captured.

Sure, I had been embarrassed and had avoided him for a very long time, but it was never this bad… Maybe it really was because Dr. Jekyll was so different from the men on the ship. He was so pale in comparison, his hair so much brighter. His eyes were so clouded…

That was it, wasn't it? It was the novelty of seeing a new body. I did not get embarrassed seeing the men because I was used to seeing them, they were nothing new. Dr. Jekyll was, that was why it was so awkward! I smiled in relief as I finally realized what was going on. It would be over soon, and things would be fine again!

The door opened and I looked up to see Dr. Jekyll looking odd in Indian garb. I grinned at his unsure look and felt a laugh slip out. I slammed my hand over my mouth to stop it, and Dr. Jekyll looked confused. "Is it that awful?" he asked. I removed my hand and settled for a smile. I quickly wrote in my book, "Not at all, you just look so," how could I put it nicely, "unsettled." I showed him my book and tried to stifle my grin.

He read my note for a moment, before he let out a soft laugh. "It's not really what I'm used too," he told me, and I had to laugh at that. Not many are used to the garb of an Indian, at least not around here, on this continent. I closed my book and waved for him to follow me. Which he did without further motivation.

We made it to his room silently, without any trouble. I opened the door for him as I had with all the others and smiled at him in departure. "Ah, Marina, do you know if I'll be getting, well, _my_ clothes anytime soon," he asked with an inoffensive smile. I grinned and looked past his shoulder, pointing to the end of his bed. Ishmael must have already picked up his things. "Ah," he said and I saw him rush to a small case on top of his trunk. He opened it, but I could not see what was inside it as he moved in front of it.

I heard it click shut after a minute of staring at him, and he turned around looking anxious. "Ah, yes, sorry. Thank you, Marina." Without thinking I signed, _"You're welcome." _Oh dear, I quickly grabbed for my book and scrawled, "Sorry about that, force of habit. You're welcome." He read my note then looked at me, "'You're welcome,' is that what that sign meant?" he asked, and I nodded my head. I watched in amazement as he imitated my sign almost perfectly. "Was that right?" he asked, and I shook my head slowly, and showed him what he had done wrong. He repeated it again and I smiled, for he had done it right.

"_Very good,"_ I signed, and then wrote it in my note. He grinned with a laugh, and seemed embarrassed. "Sorry, I find it interesting though," he said with an embarrassed sounding voice. Indeed his cheeks reddened slightly. I grinned and wrote quickly in my book, "If you want, I'll teach you some signs." I signed it before showing him the note, and I saw his eyes spark, "Will you really?" I nodded happily. "Tomorrow, when I'm done with my rounds I'll teach you some Dr. Jekyll," I signed, then wrote in my book for him to read. He nodded with a smile, "Thank you Marina. Could I also ask you a favor?" he asked, and I nodded. "Will you tell me about the others?" he said, and I saw his cheeks go red. Why would he go red from that? I wondered, but nodded anyway.

I packed my book and pen and waved goodbye. I was only a few steps away when he called; "Marina?" and I stopped and turned to him, tilting my head to show I was listening. "Please call me Henry; I'm sure it's much easier to write then Dr. Jekyll." He was smiling, and I nodded back, before turning around quickly and all but running to my room. I shut the door quickly behind me, and felt my burning face. 'What is going on?' I thought in shock, for my chest was tight and my heart was in my throat again. Why was this happening?!


	12. Chapter 12

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Ch. 12

I did not fall asleep until well after I entered my room, and when I did, it was fitful. I woke well before the sun rose, and I did so grumpily and with much cursing in my head. I almost snapped the handle of my wooden brush as I slammed it against my dresser when my hair tangled, and I stubbed my toe trying to find my shoes. I scrubbed my face so hard it turned red, and then I even ripped my shirt as I sat on the wooden stool of my desk.

By the time I left my room, tired, annoyed, and mad at everything, the sun had risen. I did not bother going to the dining area, where everyone would be and no doubt, something would annoy me further. Instead, I went straight to the kitchen and took an apple from its holder. I skipped checking in with Captain as well, because I did not want to accidentally snap at him, and started my rounds early.

My rounds included me going around the ship to my designated areas and making sure everything was still working properly. It usually took me two hours to complete, and that was only if nothing was wrong. When something was wrong, it could take me the whole day to run around the ship to get the material to fix it. Thankfully, today one thing seemed to be going right, and my rounds took me the normal amount of time.

By my guess, it was now nine o'clock. I started fretting with my hands; usually I did not finish my rounds until twelve, because Captain always needed me for something before hand. At least, I always begged for something before I had to do my rounds, for they could get boring and arduous. He would not be mad that I did not check in first this morn; he had other workers to help him, but what about Dr. Jekyll?

…

Henry. What about Henry? I did not know his usual time for waking up, and since I had not been in the dining hall, I did not know if he was yet awake or not. With indecisive bouncing in place, I fretted for a while in the middle of the hallway. Thank Kali no one passed me, or they would think me quite queer. In the end, I decided to just wait until twelve and go below until it was time to reemerge. Then I could teach…Henry, in the warm sun. I grinned at the thought, and felt myself blush. Oh Kali, what was wrong with me?

I opened the door to below find a surprise. Almost every man below had his shirt off. My eyes widened as I stared down at them, what was going on? It was not even hot down here today! I slid down the ladder and stared at everyone awkwardly, and I noticed from the corner of my eye everyone smirking as I passed. I sighed in confusion and set out to find Vishal or Maitreya; maybe they could explain why everyone was imitating Henry's entrance yesterday.

Wait a moment. No, they would not do something like that to me. With shock, I looked left and right, and bolted away from them. How dare they tease me like this? I could feel my cheeks burning in anger as I ran. I knew who would set something like this up, and I would hurt him when I found him!

Maitreya called my name, making me skid to a stop as I turned towards his voice. "Can I borrow your shawl?" he called, and the snickering men finally started to laugh fully. I clenched my fist tightly, and I felt them shaking as I tried to hold them still. I marched myself to Maitreya and glared up at him as he smiled down at me. If I had a voice, I truly would have screamed him deft, and it would be no worse than what he deserved for this.

Without thinking my fist came back to hit his smirking face, and was grabbed from behind from someone. "Oi lass, don't go ruinin the only thing he had going for him! He's doomed without that face'a his," it was Vishal, and he looked as angry as I. I stopped fighting his grip and sighed. Vishal let my hand go and it dropped uselessly to my side. I had never punched Maitreya, now would be a bad time to start.

"Ha-ha, Marina ya don't have to get violent just because the men and I want to tease you a bit for-"what he wanted to tease me for I already knew, but I sure did not give him a chance to say it. My leg shot forward and struck the one sure-fire weakness of a man. Maitreya dropped, and I heard the groans of sympathies from the men around him. I smirked in victory as he huddled there, gasping, and turned to Vishal. _"Tell him I forgive him,"_ I signed, before turning on my heel and heading for the staircase. I could hear Vishal yelling at the men to get their clothes back on as they left. They had avoided looking at me as I walked by, and strangely enough, I felt much better…

As I headed for Captain's quarters, my unease returned. Would he tease me too, as the men had? I sighed, it was my fault the men were teasing me anyway. I should not have been so stupid. I should have been able to fight my awkwardness of Henry and taken it in stride, but no! I had to force my shawl on him and blush as if my face was on fire!

I was so flustered with my thought I did not even see whom it was I bumped into. I gasped when I saw Dorian their, staring at my with raised brows. "You really should watch were you're going," he told me, in that monotone voice I hated. Without thinking, I signed, _"If you saw me not paying attention, why didn't you just move?" _My foul mood was back, thank you for that Gray! I tried to sidestep him but his cane blocked my path. "Perhaps I wasn't paying attention either, or did you not think of that?"

I gasped as he spoke. Gray understood… my signs?! I stared at him with wide eyes, and took a step back. _"You know my signs?"_ I asked in confusion, for signs were not well known to those who were not somehow affected. Gray then did something weird, he smiled at me as he said, "I've had time to learn a lot of things."

I smiled back slightly in disbelief, for it was so unexpected. He chuckled, and pulled his cane back. I stood still as he passed, and felt him pat my head. I turned to watch him disappear down the hall, and when he had, I smiled truly. Dorian knew my signs; I did not have to write with him! I grinned as I headed for Captain's room. True, Dorian was dark and narcissistic, but he knew my signs! I could deal with his attitude, besides, he had smiled, maybe he was starting to like me? Who knows, maybe he could come back to visit too…

I was still smiling when I found Captain with Ishmael, which made me smile even more. I signed my good morning to them and stood beside them. _"My rounds are finished, is there anything to do?"_ I asked them. For some reason they both smiled down at me with the same expression, and it really scared me. _"What?"_ I signed quickly in my bewilderment.

"If your rounds are finished you can have the rest of the day to yourself,"Captain said, and his eyes were laughing. I stared at him suspiciously, but nodded my head in understanding. It was odd, but I would not complain. I waved goodbye and turned to leave. At the door, Ishmael called out to me, and I stopped and looked back at him, leaning in the doorframe. "Tell Dr. Jekyll we say 'hello,' will ya?" he asked, and I felt my face heat. How had he known I was going to Henry's room now? I thought in alarm.

"_What makes you think I'll see him?"_ I asked, and no doubt, they could see through my farce. Ishmael laughed, while Captain answered, "He spoke of you at breakfast, Marina," I felt my face burn. "He wondered where you were so he could ask about the time you would meet him," Captain's eyes were shining with unshed laughter, "You'll be the teacher this time, then?" he asked, and his chuckles began. My face burned so badly it hurt, and I frowned deeply. _"Yes, I will!"_ I signed, before I marched out of the room, my face on fire.

I could hear their laughter follow me…


	13. Chapter 13

Ch

Ch. 13

By the time I made it to Henry's hall, I had every intention of turning on my heel and going back to my room. However, I knew I would have nothing to do there and forced myself to press on. What was going on with me? I had never had a problem barging into any of the men's quarters before without knocking if I needed them (and I more often than not I regretted it). So why was walking down a hall I have charged down before so unbearably hard now?

It obviously had something to do with Henry, but what? When had these problems started? That was easy, right after I saw Hyde… That was it, wasn't it? It was Hyde's fault I got so flustered around Henry! I had promised to hit him, but now that I have seen him, I know I cannot. He is far too much a beast for anyone to attempt such a thing without protection and a lot of luck. As much as I hate to admit it, I think I am afraid of Mr. Hyde.

Where did Henry fit in with this though…?

I leaned on the wall besides Henry's door, determined to discover the answer before facing Henry again. Why would I compare Henry to Hyde? Henry was so timid a soul, while Hyde struck fear into those who saw him. How could I compare them, actually…? His eyes, of course! He had the very same eyes as Mr. Hyde and it was Hyde's eyes that had captivated me the most. I was relating Henry to Hyde because of their identical eyes!

I sighed in relief, once more I had found my answer. Initially, his unfamiliar presence had made me uneasy. It would have faded by now, except his eyes reminded me of Hyde. Hyde, who I now realize I fear, if only slightly, of course! I smiled, for now it all made sense to me. I would confront my fear of Hyde, and then everything would be fine between Henry and I.

I pushed myself off the wall and knocked on Henry's door softly. Okay, so maybe I was not as ready to face Hyde's eyes as I thought! At least I made an attempt! I waited at the door a mere moment before turning and heading down the hall. Oh well, he must be roaming the ship, I could teach him later. It was not as though I would not see him again later…Then again; this was a big ship…

I flinched to a stop as I heard his door open, and did not move. If I did not move, he might not see me… Alas, my plan failed as I heard him say, "So I wasn't hearing things, you really should knock louder, Marina," I could hear the amusement in his voice, and I felt my chest ache. I could not be this afraid of Hyde, could I? No! Henry was not Hyde; they were not the same person, even if they shared a body! "Marina?" Henry asked, "Are you alright?"

I nodded and turned slowly. Hyde will not scare me any longer! I smiled without reason when I saw Henry standing in the doorway, a look of concern spread over his features. Thoughts of Hyde flew from my mind. I signed, "Good morning," to him, and his concern turned to a small smile. "What does that sign mean?" he asked confused. I grinned and made the sign for, 'guess.'

He stared at me for a moment before it must have clicked, because he said, "Ah, I see. That last sign was… 'Guess,' I assume, or something of the like." I nodded my head in approval, if he caught on this quickly, teaching him would be easy, and I would soon have another to talk with without writing. He smiled and said, "The first signs were… 'I'm fine?'" I shook my head. "How are you?" he asked, and I shook my head again. "Good morning?" he asked, and he shrugged his shoulders as he did. I grinned wider still and nodded happily.

He seemed to draw confidence from that, for he stood taller and invited me in his room. I followed him in cautiously; after all, no matter how you looked at it, I would be all alone with a man in his quarters. I had always been warned against that, however, I had never listened. This was different from being in the men's rooms though, even if I felt the same feelings of security as I did in their rooms. While Hyde must have scared me (something I find very displeasing), Henry did not.

For some reason I was quite glad when Henry did not shut the door, and the bit of uneasiness about it left. I looked around the room, the only place to sit was the bed, and I wondered if he would mind. Something truly must be wrong with me, for if it were Maitreya or Vishal's room, I would have jokingly jumped on their cot and spread myself across it, taking away any chance they would have to sit.

I suppose this is just one of those things that are wrong with me. Since I met Hyde and Henry, quite a few need to be added to my list. Henry had sat upon the head of his bed and he beaconed me to join him. I grinned and did so, pulling out my book and quill. He smiled back at me, "If it's not too much trouble, could you tell me about the others first?"

I nodded, though I could feel an odd emotion within me, it was unpleasant, and it got worse when I thought of telling him of the others. I am not sure what it is though, I do not think I have had it before, was I getting sick? With thoughts of illness in my head, I set out to write my review of everyone whom had joined the league:

Captain (Nemo): Science. My Captain is warmhearted, genius, and a wonderful person. Without a doubt, he will treat you kindly and with respect, unless you endanger or insult his crew in some way.

Ishmael (he prefers just this): First Mate. Captain's first mate, while he is not in the League, he is often by Captain's side, so I am adding him as well. Ishmael is kind and hardy; you should not have a problem with him, unless of course, you insult Captain or the crew.

Allen Quatermain: Hunter. Grumpy old toad, while he thinks little of what a woman can do, he thinks highly of men in general, so you will be fine with him so long as you have seen, shot, and/or are somehow interested in 'manly' things like hunting and the like.

Rodney (Skinner): Stealth. A pervert, but a kind person who thinks much of his gains in a situation, he is a thief, after all. He is sarcastic and sometimes makes corny jokes, and while his perverseness is a bad trait, he had been quite helpful to me; I think you shall like him.

Mina Harker: Enticement. I have had little contact with Mrs. Harker, so I cannot say much, but she and Dorian Grey were once 'friends,' as they put it, but I believe it was something more. She is a vampire and acts cold to me so I know little more than this, I apologize.

Dorian Gray: Experience. Narcissistic, condescending, and quite an annoyance. His superiority complex can be quite the bother, but he seems to be getting a little better since being on the ship, but I would not willing stay in a room alone with him. His personality probably comes from the fact that he is immortal.

Sawyer: American Secret Service. He fits the stereotypical image of an American, he is easy going and a 'poor shot' according to Mr. Q., but I am not sure. He is a nice and likeable person, who seems to get along with everyone. At least from what I have seen…

I read over my notes and frowned at how biased my answers were. I sighed, oh well, it was the best I could do. I apologize for my biased answers, I tried my best, I wrote, before handing the book over to Henry. He smiled and thanked me, and I watched a fly buzz around the room as he read. I heard him give short chuckles sporadically as he read, and I smiled softly as I wondered if I could hit the fly with a dagger if I was quick enough…

Henry laughed louder then he had before, and I turned to look at him. He grinned sheepishly at me and said, "Your biased answers are helpful, thank you." I smiled; truly glad I had helped him. I had made him laugh, and I liked it. "You missed someone though," he told me as he handed me back my book. My brow knit together as I scanned the paper. I had not missed anyone, in fact, I had added one. I laughed and shrugged my shoulders in confusion. Did he want my opinion on him, too? He smiled at me and gave another soft chuckle, "I'd like to know about you too, Marina."


	14. Chapter 14

Ch

Ch. 14

My eyes widened and I quickly lowered my head to hide the red fire on my cheeks. He wanted to know about me, but why? I was not a part of the League, I was no one special. More importantly, I did not have anything good I could say! I cannot play an instrument, and I cannot knit or sew! What can I tell him that will not make him think of me as a disappointment?

My hand shook as I wrote, **"I am not a part of the League,"** and after a moment of contemplation, I finished off the note with a single word that might just save me from his disapproval, **"Silly."** There, maybe that would assure him of my femininity, even if it made me feel foolish to write it. I handed him the book and if possible, I got redder. This was not going well, and it definitely was not how I had pictured it.

Not that I had thought about it as I tossed and turned last night, not at all… Anyway, it did not matter! Wait, what if he thinks I am childish for writing such a thing? My panic cut short as I heard him laughing. I turned my head in awe, for to hear him laugh was unnaturally pleasing. He shook his head and looked at me, a grin still etched on his face, "If you are not in the League, than Hyde is a charming lass, called Rose, from London."

I stared at him in shock, and he seemed to realize what he said, because his head twitched downward as his smile disappeared. "Forgive me, I did not mean to-"he began, but stopped as soon as I started laughing. As is my custom, I usually refrain from laughing, or at least stop it quickly. This time however, it leaked from my mouth as if it were a bleeding wound. I gripped my sides as I tried to catch breath from my diminished supply. The picture of Hyde, monstrous Hyde, in a pink corset dress and matching bow, sitting with his ankles tucked played through my mind. Like a disease, it refused to leave, and I could hear Henry laughing at me.

"I must say I never thought myself the jester," he grinned as I finally calmed down. I smiled widely as I scribbled, **"Hyde, pink bows, tea time**." I giggled as I handed the note to him and he smiled back, "Well, that is certainly a potent combination." I nodded in agreement, because his comment had led to me laughing in front of someone other than Captain or Ishmael. True, gut wrenching laughter. I do not think I have ever been given a greater gift.

With my note back in my hands, I smiled as I decided I could tell him about myself in exchange for his gift. It seemed fair enough a trade, after all, it was better I tell him than he learn bits and pieces from others, no?

"**My name is Marina, and I have no last name, but that does not really bother me. I am an orphan, at least I think I am, and Captain suspect's that is because of pirates. I am Captain's apprentice, and will inherit the Nautilus when Captain retires."**

I looked down at my writing, that should be enough to quench his curiosity, right? If he does not agree, he can ask for more. I handed the note over, trying hard to ignore the fact that I wanted him to ask more. If he wanted to know more, he must like me enough to want to know… On the other hand, perhaps he is just curious of the anomaly that is a female apprentice and will simply start ignoring me once I have told him everything…

I frowned at my pessimistic thought. I should not think like that, things seem less…bright, when I do. "Um, Marina? I hate to say it, but you've only written things I already know…" Henry said, and I stare at him confused. My name and the apprentice bit I understand, but how would he know the rest? He seemed to grow sheepish under my gaze and let out an awkward cough, "Um, well, Captain Nemo became very, articulate about you this morning…"

My eyes widened in horror, just what had Captain said? My panic must have shown, for Henry quickly picked up his slack and said, "He must care deeply for you, he spoke with nothing but pride!" I sighed and looked towards the ceiling, prideful talk, is that not the worse kind? **"Captain and I must have a talk about holding his tongue." **I wrote, and showed him grumpily. He smiled slightly and gave a small laugh. "Don't be too hard on him, he seems to really love you, Marina," I could not look him in the eye. Captain, love me? I suppose, as an apprentice, a helper. It was not as though he saw me as his kin, no, just as his crew. Yet still, I felt warmth spread through me. A man who did not know Captain well thought he loved me, that must count for something, because Captain's words and actions were the crews daily occurrences, I would not know he showed love towards me, even if it was obvious to others. He was just Captain, but if Henry thought so…

"I take it you're happy about that?" Henry asked, and I nodded my head, blinking. I had not noticed, but my eyes had watered. I forced the tears away and looked up. I signed to Henry, and I saw him stare with rapt attention, before writing, **"What would you like to know about me?" **He smiled as I showed him the note, and without hesitation said, "Was it difficult to learn your signs? When did you learn to use daggers to fight, did Captain Nemo teach you? How old were you when Captain Nemo discovered you? When-"

I threw my hands up in the air in shock. The first question I understood, but what about the others? Did he really care that much? My pessimism crawled forward, but I kicked it away, and grabbed my note.

"**In the beginning it was, for I was depressed because I could remember once being able to speak, and was frustrated I could not then. Captain has been teaching me since I was seven. I was six when Captain found me atop the Nautilus, and no, I am not sure about my age. I do not remember my birthday, so Captain made it the day I was found and guessed my age from my medical report. I could be twenty for all I know."**

I handed him the note and watched as he read. He looked up at me in shock, "Twenty? How old are you now?" he seemed struck dumb, and I did not know if it was good or bad. I scrawled my age of seventeen on the paper without flipping it, and his eyebrows rose. He said not a word more and I fidgeted uneasily. I was young, but I was still a woman. Did my age bother him so much that he could not speak?

Uneasily, I waved my hand in front of his face to get his attention. If I had had a voice, saying his name softly would have been so much nicer. Alas, he looked up at my waving hand and apologized quickly. I smiled slightly and shrugged my shoulders casually. I turned my note and wrote, **"May I ask you a question?"** he read it upside down and nodded his head. **"Why are so interested? I'm not very extraordinary."**

Though I tried to lighten the question with a joke, it did nothing to hide its importance to me. He grinned in reply, "You'd be surprised, it's not often you meet a female apprentice, especially not one such as Nemo." I felt like the room had imploded with me still in it. So, my pessimistic thought was right, I am just a novelty to him. I must have looked ghastly, because Henry quickly said, "What I mean is-"Only to be cut off as the roar of cascading water down the sides of the ship filled the room. His window filled with light as we surfaced, and I gloomily wrote in the note, **"I'm going to the deck. If you want me to teach you anything, come along." **I shoved the book in his face to hide his view of my own. It felt as if I had broken glass straight into my chest.

Come to think of it, I had not cleaned my cut hand yet. Oh well, the pain of an infection could not hurt as much as my chest did now. I pulled the book away and stood without another look. I walked to his door, and passed through it. The pain worsened, until I heard his steps behind me. Despite knowing I was just his anomaly, despite knowing he would grow tired once I was no longer a mystery, the pain lessoned. Knowing he followed me, if only for my lessons, made me happy. Is it wrong for someone to affect you like this?

I was not sure, so for now, I will leave it off my list…

Side Note:

WOOT!

'All That's Wrong' officially has 1000+ HITS! Thank you all for making it happen, I'm so happy! I hope even more people read, but even if they don't, I'm still very satisfied and grateful for those who do. Thank you all very much! 3

WitchWhoLovesHim


	15. Chapter 15

Ch

Ch. 15

By the time we made it too the deck, the Nautilus had completely emerged from the sea. Despite the poor state of my stomach, which had felt as though I had missed a step, I smiled brightly at the sight of the sea from the deck. It was amazing, I had been found here, eleven years ago. I still do not remember how I ended up in the ocean; logically I was on a ship, but what kind? Merchant, leisure, or maybe even pirate? Did it really sink, and was it because of an attack, or had I been thrown over board and forgotten?

I always pondered my past along these lines, no matter what; it seemed a ritual whenever I came to look upon the sea. The only difference was that I was not alone this time. This time I had a man who thought of me as an anomaly… I think I hate that word, and there are few words I do not love, so that is quite something.

I heard the door close, which meant Henry must have caught up. Without a glance, I walked to the chairs and pulled out my note. I wrote simple phrases such as, **"How are you?"** and **"Good morning." **I also wrote their responses and numbered them accordingly. When I was done, I checked to make sure there were enough to challenge him, and handed him the note. I pointed to number one, and he nodded. I showed him the signs, and made him repeat them.

We were silent as I taught him, even if I had a voice, I would not have used it. It seemed as though the pleasantness of this morn was lost to us, and I mourned its passing. We went through the list three times, and then I started signing randomly, making him guess at which they were. To my surprise, he was quite good, and had all but completely memorized them by the time I was done. I raised my brow at him in suspicion, how could he learn so fast?

I must not have been discrete enough, for he gave a half-hearted laugh and said, "Doctor's need too memorize many things, it gets to be a habit…" I nodded and sat down on my own chair, gazing out at the passing ocean, which did not change despite the distance we passed. The pain in my stomach was gone, and the small sting of hurt of knowing his feelings had ebbed to nothing but a distant memory. After all, it was not as though I had ever cared what others thought of me, right?

If I cared of the thoughts of others, I would have married Maitreya when I saw him bare. I never would have learned to fight, I would wear dresses instead of the 'Salwar Kameez' Captain had bought me in his home of India. I would sit and sip tea while talking of flowers and the weather. I would never sail or learn of science and I would be everything that I am not!

That would be good though, would it not? Then, no one would look down on me for those things. They would not think I am an anomaly, and they would talk to me because they truly cared to know about me. That is what I wanted, but that is something I could not have. Even if I were to become a perfect women, I would still be looked down upon. I am, after all, a mute orphan…

It is kind of like the gods were playing a cruel joke when they thought of me…

I felt a weight and looked down to see Henry's withdrawing hand from where he had placed my note beside me. I looked at him calmly, we were done for now. I nodded in understanding and turned once more to watch the ocean pass. I know it will not change for a good long while, but I could not stop myself. The view still caught my breath, and if I let it, I am sure it would have me suffocate in its honor. The sea is cruel in that way.

"Marina?" Henry's voice was soft and unsure, as though he thought I would ignore him. I wondered if I could really do that, for his foreign self seemed to draw me like seagulls to scraps at a dock. I turned my head and looked at him, only to find his head lowered. Well that is rude, the least he could do is look at me after insinuating that I was his traveling circus that he rarely saw. Then again, if he was to look, I might blush. I suppose it was better he kept his head down.

"I want you to know I'm truly sorry about what I said earlier. I can see how bad that sounds, but I swear, even though what I said was true, I really was interested for the sake of being so," He looked up then, and his unease seemed to have dispersed, "I really wanted to know about you, Marina."

I could not help it; I felt my face heat and knew I blushed. I quickly looked down and grabbed for my note, hoping to hide my burning face. I quickly scrawled, "I forgive you, forgive me for overreacting?" before handing the book over without looking up. "You had every right to overreact, and I hold no grudge against you doing so," he said, and I grinned happily. There were once again feelings in my stomach, but these were happy and light. I liked them, and I looked up at Henry grinning.

He smiled back, and opened his mouth to say something only to stop as the door to the deck opened. It seemed as though the League had been collected and assembled on the deck. Ms. Harker wandered towards the farthest front area and stayed there, while Mr.Q and Sawyer finally settled near the door, where they chatted. Captain and Skinner headed for Henry and I, and I smiled at both of them happily. Captain realized I forgave him for this morning, and smiled back slightly.

"Oi, why wasn't I invited to the study party?" Skinner asked, and I could not tell if his appalled voice was true or not. Either way I grinned and stuck out my tongue, an unladylike habit I had picked up a few years ago during a trip to London. Skinner plopped down heavily on the end of my chair (which I could have laid upon had I so chosen) and frowned at me. "Cocky spitfire," he muttered, before turning to Henry, "Oi, what gives you the right to hog her when you just got here?" he asked, and Henry startled. "I do no such thing; how she spends her time is up to Marina herself, not you or I!"

As they spoke to each other, their conversation gradually straying from how I was to spend my time, I turn to Captain and smiled. The solar panels would soon charge, and we would once more plunge the Nautilus into the darkness of the sea. I stood and walked to Captain's side and he welcomed me. "How was being a teacher?" I grinned, and leaving out my embarrassing moments explained what had happened from entering his room to now.

Captain watched me intently as I spoke with my hands, and nodded at all the right times. He made small comments, and laughed when I told him about how jealous I was that he learned so fast just because he was a 'doctor,' hymp! When I had finally finished, Captain seemed to be deep in thought. I waited patiently until he looked back down and me, and I smiled softly. "You say your stomach has been acting odd?" he asked, and I nodded, not sure why. It had never happened before, was I coming down with something? I could not be sick in Venice!

"Don't worry Marina. It happens to us all," he told me, and then he was silent. It put my mind at ease to know all went through it, and I smiled, content to look at the sea. Captain finally pulled away from the rail and said, "The solar panels are fully charged. We'll be diving in a moment." I pulled away too, with one last look at the sea, and followed Captain, as he said everyone's name to indicate they needed to hurry.

I stepped in just before Captain, and felt the Nautilus plunge as the door shut behind him. It was a subtle feeling, but a sure one I knew well, and I relished its familiarity.

The rest of the day passed quickly. I cleaned my wound finally, and most likely just saved it from infection. Then as I passed by Captain's quarters I learned of the Fantom's plan to attack the conference by sea. That I could understand, it was obvious, given Venice's cannels. I pondered the Fantom's reasons for attacking the conference as I worked by a very subdued Maitreya below. Could money really be the only reason he wanted to do such horrible things?

I was grateful to have grown up without a need for money. It seemed an awful curse in itself.

That night, I was sent to gather half the League for dinner, namely, Skinner, Dorian, and Mrs. Harker, only to have them say they wanted it in their room. I walked to the dining hall slightly dejected, only for it to grow worse when I saw only Ishmael there. Where were the others?

Before I could ask, Sawyer walked in, and I smiled to know at least someone had shown up. Captain and Mr. Q. followed behind a moment later, and Captain asked my question for me, "Where is everyone?" Ishmael clasped his hands before him and said solemnly, "They all asked to eat in their cabins." Sawyer sighed and pushed away from the table, "We may be a League, but we're sure not a team," he said, and I nodded sadly in agreement.

"Well, team or no team, theirs work to be done," Mr. Q. said as he walked away from the table. Sawyer followed, and I noticed the folder in Mr. Q.'s hand, the scientist's profiles, I guessed. "Rude buggers," I heard him say, and I giggled softly, grabbing a few shrimp before Ishmael had the table cleaned. I stayed to help and when we had finished Captain dismissed me. With a yawn I headed to my room to wash and change.

As I was about to pass by Henry's room I stopped, for I heard voices. "Mr. Quatermain, is-is there anything I can do?" it was Henry, and he sounded anxious and hopeful. Did he want to help the toad that much? "Err, nothing for now, Jekyll," there was a pause as I heard him walk away. Then from a distance he said, "Don't worry, Hyde will get his hands dirty."

I heard Mr. Q.'s steps fade away, and then I heard Henry's sigh. Why would he sigh? Not only would his hands stay clean of battle but he need not help with boring work. I heard his door close and I finally walked by, pondering what had happened. I was lying in bed when I finally came up with a possible answer.

Maybe the work was not what bothered him. Perhaps what bothered him was that he was not the one we needed. Maybe it was that he knew that had Hyde a body of his own, Henry would not be here…

Side Note:

The dining scene and Jekyll's question are all legit. They're in the deleted scene's area of the DVD if you want to check them out, which I highly recommend!


	16. Chapter 16

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Ch. 16

I remember waking up during the night because of a pain in my hand. I remember my eyes being so heavy I could not keep them open, no matter how hard I tried. I remember grabbing my hand and squeezing it, and that stopped the pain. I think I smelt blood…

When I woke this morn, my hands were bloody. I gasped at the sight, and saw the cotton gauze I had used to wrap my hand after I cleaned it was bloodied, and no longer on my hand. It laid uselessly caught in my sheets, and I softly touched my hand.

It stung, and I quickly drew away. Had I scratched at it during the night? That must be it, then the pain had woken me, and in my sleepy haze, I had simply stopped the blood flow by holding pressure to it.

I sighed, knowing that before I could do anything, I would have to have this cleaned. So still in my nightdress, my hair a mess, and no doubt 'sand' still in my eyes, I hobbled out of bed and carefully opened the door. The blood had crusted on my hands, and cracked as I shut the door. I grimaced in displeasure before hurrying towards the infirmary. Well, that is what I call it, anyway. It was really just a room that held what I needed to clean my wounds.

I was two halls away from the infirmary, when I stopped. I was in the middle of Mrs. Harker's hall! Her room was but a room's length away, and I was bloody! With wide eyes, I quickly turned around, hoping to avoid being drained for today, when I heard a door open.

I stopped in fear, and slowly turned around to face the vampire. My daggers were in my shoes, and either way, my hand was useless as it was. Mrs. Harker looked at me and raised her brow, "It's you then?" I nodded softly, drawing into myself, holding my hands closely to me.

"Come in then," she said, and disappeared into her room. Did she really think I was going to make it easy for her to bite me? I do not intend to die today, thank you very much! I took a step back, then another; I had gotten three when she poked her head out the door again. "I have no interest in dry blood, now will you come inside so I can clean your hand?"

I must have looked shocked because she gave me an annoyed look and disappeared again. I hate to say it, but I felt quite foolish, and shuffled inside her room. Obviously she could control herself if she had not attacked anyone yet, and why would she want old blood anyway? It would probably taste horrible…I assume…?

She was rummaging in a small chest when I came in, and she stopped long enough to motion for me to sit on her bed. I did so without hesitation, 'once bitten, twice shy,' they say. She turned to me with many things in her hand, and walked over to the bed and dumped them all beside me.

Gauze, cotton swabs, and antiseptic, the kind that stings. I frowned at it and she said, "Don't make that face, do you want to lose your hand to infection?" I side-glanced the evil medication and sighed, shaking my head. If I lost my hand, fighting would be quite hard…

While I glared at the evil antiseptic Mrs. Harker walked away and came back with a damp cloth, and offered it too me. I had to guess she must have had a washbasin, so I took the wet cloth and carefully scrubbed away the blood, which became sticky as it was wet. As I worked at the blood, Mrs. Harker started to prep, and I smelt the strong antiseptic as she soaked a cotton swab. I crinkled my nose and tried to slow my work, only to have her give me a look.

She must have known I was stalling, so I figured I would just get it over with and finished cleaning my hands off. I laid the cloth on my knee, and Mrs. Harker took my hand. She stared at it momentarily then sighed, "What did you do to yourself?" I looked at her in confusion as she shook her head and stood again. I looked at my hand, and saw the cuts, which had started to heal, had been scratched open and now had crevices surrounding them. Had I really done that much damage during my sleep?

Apparently I had, wait, was that glass? I brought my hand closer and sighed, Maitreya had not gotten all the glass from my hand! I contemplated kicking him again, and then realized he would never have a child if I did. Mrs. Harker sat down once again with tweezers and a magnifying glass. She silently went to work and when she was done, several glass chips were piled on the bloody cloth.

She took the antiseptic cotton swap then and started dabbing my hand without warning. I hissed in pain and bit my lip. At times not having a voice was nice, for I could not whimper in pain, as I have known others too. It seemed like forever, but it was finally over, and Mrs. Harker wrapped my hand tidily. She smiled at me most kindly, and it confused me. I had always thought she had a bit of a complex, like Dorian, but like this, it did not seem so.

I smiled back gratefully, if I had brought my note, I would have thanked her, as it was, I could only sign my thanks and mouth the words. She smiled as she cleaned the mess, "You're welcome, I still wonder how that could have happened though," and she nodded towards my hand. I grinned, and mocked drinking from a cup. I brought the 'cup' down and clenched my hand until I made a fist, and she nodded. "I see,"

I stood up and flexed my wrapped hand, smiling. She had done a much better job then I had. I waved to her gratefully once more and turned to leave. Turns out the scary vampire lady was really nice, motherly almost, not that I would know how a mother acts, but still. It was the thought that counts, right? I almost ran to my room, not sure of the time, and changed quickly. I hurried off to make my rounds quickly, hoping it was not afternoon already, for if it was I had basically wasted the day.

When I finished my rounds, I found a worker and asked of Captain. The ship started to rise to charge the solar panels when I made it to the helm where the worker had told me Captain and Ishmael were.

"There not how I left'um, Captain. That's all I'm sayin," I heard Ishmael say, as I climbed up the stairs. Ishmael looked grim, and Captain was squatting by him. "Powder?" I heard Captain say, and I entered the room fully. Ishmael nodded his head towards me, and I did the same. "You think sabotage?" Ishmael asked as he looked back at Captain, "We ain't that far off course." Captain brought the powder from his face and said, "I don't recognize the smell. Maybe Mrs. Harker-"

He was stopped as a small clang sounded, like an accidental bump into something. Footsteps, and a book fell. We all had the same idea, and I turned towards the stairs as I felt something brush past me. Skinner? What on earth was he doing? Sawyer walked by and stopped as Captain and Ishmael stood behind me. The sounds changed from the stairs from the helm to the stairs to the deck, and Sawyer hurried to them, as Captain, Ishmael, and I walked back to the wheel. Sawyer popped his head down from the deck to tell us he had lost him, and Captain thanked him.

I found a vile and collected the powder for Captain as he and Ishmael talked of what it could be. Captain thanked me for the vile and left Ishmael at the wheel to deliver it. We grinned at each other and without hesitation, I hugged him. He laughed and hugged me back saying, "I take it you liked my gift?"

I nodded and kissed his bristled cheek, _"Thank you mother!" _I signed and he laughed again. "Sorry Marina but I don't remember your birth at all, it must'a been a bad one!" he told me, shaking his head. I nodded, _"The worst!" _I agreed, in all seriousness, which was lost as we burst into a new round of laughter.

Captain appeared quicker than I would have imagined, and informed us Mina would be checking the powder for us. I smiled at the good news, and Captain dismissed me after learning of the state of my rounds. I nodded happily and signed that I would be below should they need me, before heading off.

Before going to below though, I headed to my room to change. Most of my clothes were still being washed, and there was no reason to ruin one that was still nice by ripping and/or staining it below. I walked into my room and pulled off my Sari and bag, tossing them on my desk with care.

I shut the door and started to pull off my top when I heard a gasp, and gasped myself, pulling my top back on. "Jeeze, I came for a chat, but if you insist," the voice said, and how I wished to scream out, 'Skinner!' I saw the door handle turning and I grabbed the closest thing to me, my journal, and threw it at him.

He yelled in pain, and the door opened, I threw another of my books at him and he cried out again. I ran out the door for him, and bumped into Dorian. He looked down at me with a raised brow and asked, "Is there a reason for the shouting?" I quickly signed to him, _"Skinner was hiding in my room and I was about to change!"_ He raised his brow further and nodded, "Well he's gone now; I take it you got him from the yells. What's this?" he asked, and he bent down to pick up my journal. I let him do so without panic; it was not as though he could read it anyway. _"My journal,"_ I signed to him.

He looked skeptical, "And the writing? A code Nemo taught you, I suppose?" I shook my head, _"I taught Captain, I made it after looking at his books in Arabic." _He looked down at the coded script, "For journals, and private messages, no? Meant to look like child scribble…" I nodded as he spoke, "I don't suppose there's a code?" he asked. I nodded and signed, _"There is, but it's meant to be a secret code for Captain, Ishmael, and I." _He nodded and handed it to me, "I see," he said, before walking away.

I watched him go in confusion, it was odd but, he looked like he was calculating something behind those dark eyes…


	17. Chapter 17

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Ch. 17

Knowing Skinner would not dare to enter my room again; I closed my door behind me once more and set my books on my desk. I pulled out on of my older and much less pretty outfits, and changed into them. Indeed, as odd as it was, there was a great difference in my wardrobe. Had I…Had I gotten dressed up? W-why would I…Dress up? I did not have any reason to look special, and I did not have anyone to impress…R-right?

Right! It was just a mistake, an accident! It not like I thought I might bump into…Nobody! No no no, just an accident! I wish not to impress anyone, no! It really was just an accident, and nothing more!

I grabbed my bag and all but ran out the door. What was I so anxious to evade? The truth, most likely, and it was a truth I would not admit. Especially not right before going down below with all the crew! Besides, it was just an accident, right…?

I made it to the door to below huffing. Somewhere between my thoughts of denial I had started to run as fast as I could. I stared at the door with apprehension. What if the men could see right through me, and guess what was wrong? It was not entirely impossible, even slow Achintya has had moments in which he could read me.

I sighed, 'Oh Kali help me,' I thought as I opened the door, my breath returned to me. I tried very hard, but I jumped when I was spoken too, gasped when I was touched. In the end, trying to act normal had stressed me out so much I had stood out. I could feel the men's eyes on me as I worked, and I felt myself grow cold. Was this a sign, a sign that my thoughts were wicked? This was a punishment, wasn't it?

No, I refuse to believe just because I wanted to look a little better today I am being punished for it. It is not as if it is hard to make me look better. Kali, clean clothes make anyone look better, and since I am usually covered in some kind of muck from here below, it must work well on me. So yes, forgive me for wanting to not look like a wild child in front of the League that was assembled to save the world. Do please forgive me!

I do believe I glared as I did my work, but that is of little importance. I am not sure when or how it happened, but it did, and I still do not believe it though the evidence is there…

I As I worked, agitated and fuming, I must have accidentally bumped into and opened one of the doors that concealed the ever-spinning wheels. Then, as I whipped around angrily, it must have caught the end of my braid…

I do not believe I was conscious as it was happening, because the full shock of what happened did not hit me until it was over. I know suddenly my head was being pulled backward, tugged into the wheels that unknowingly pulled me towards a most painful end. I remember banging into the bottom of the machine, trying desperately to pull away.

Without thought, I grabbed my knife from my boot, only to have it slip from my fingers. I could feel the tears flowing down my face, and I know I would have been screaming if I had a voice, because my mouth was wide in its silent scream.

Then I was falling, and I caught myself just before I hit the ground. Everyone was yelling, crowding around me. Then I was in someone's arms, and I pulled away to see Vishal, and his eyes were bright and watery. He was speaking, but I could not make out what he said with the others yelling so loudly. It was so noisy, and no one would be quiet.

I think around then is when it hit me. I had almost died, and I still do not know how I survived. It did not matter though, because I still lived, and fearing tears of relief would fall I threw myself into Vishal's comforting hold and shook.

The voices started to calm, and I could hear Vishal telling the crew to leave us be. Then he picked me up, and I gave no fight to stop him. I remember him walking with me for a long time, then he faltered as he opened a door. A few of his great steps later and he sat down and rocked me gently back and forth. Eventually my shakes stopped, and I pulled away, sliding off his lap onto a bed.

We were in my room, and I glanced at Vishal with a small smile. _'Thank you,' _I signed, and he sighed mightily, "Ah lass, don't thank me yet."

My smile dropped, and I looked at him in confusion. Why could I not thank him for getting me away from the panicked men below? I had no chance to ask him, because at that moment pounding feet could be heard, and a mere few seconds later Captain and Ishmael burst into the room. Both looked panicked, and were breathing heavily.

I smiled at them to try to calm them, but instead of it reassuring them, they gaped as they looked at me. "Vishal?" Captain asked in all seriousness, as he walked up to me. "Sorry Captain, I told the lad to tell you of an accident, I take it he didn't tell you it ended…mostly well?" Vishal said, standing and looking apologetic.

Captain looked relieved, "No, he failed to mention that." Ishmael moved forward and pet my head softly as he sat, cooing, "Poor babe…" I smiled at him, hoping to put his mind at ease, _'I'm fine!'_ I told him. Captain looked at Vishal and said, "Does she…?" And Vishal shook his head, looking sad. I looked at them in confusion. Do I…What?

Captain dismissed Vishal and came to sit beside me. He waited until Vishal had closed the door behind him before saying, "Are you alright, Marina?" I was fine, I really was, but the tone of his voice and the concern in it set me off. Once more tears fell silently, and I rubbed at them, but they would not cease.

I fell forward into Captain's arms as I had the day I awoke on the Nautilus for the first time, and cried myself dry. I could feel Ishmael's hand rubbing my back, and Captain hugging me. Finally, I sat up sniffling, and signed, _'Thank you, I'm sorry.'_

Ishmael smiled, "Don'worry little one, anyone would've been scared." I nodded, knowing it was not true, but appreciating it nonetheless. I looked at Captain and asked, _'What was Vishal speaking of, what do I not know?' _Captain opened his mouth to answer, only to be cut short as a knock was heard at the door. He went to answer it, and I heard him talking low with a man I could not see well. Captain sighed and looked back and Ishmael and I, "I have to go take care of something, Ishmael…?"

"I got it, Captain," Ishmael said, and Captain looked at me sadly, "Forgive me Marina, it shall be alright." I was confused, but nodded my head anyway. He left and shut the door behind him. Ishmael sighed and gathered me in his arms, my brows knit together, was this really so bad. I was okay; I pulled out of the wheels did I not? Sure, I had panicked and was going to cut my hair, but I had not needed too thankfully.

"Marina, little babe, I promise it's not that bad, so don' worry. Everyone knows it had to be done, and nobody'll think it queer, I promise-" Ishmael was talking softly, assuring me, but of what? Whatever it was, it was starting to scare me, please do not say…

"-Your hair is gone, Marina…"

I did not believe him. I pushed away from him in distrust, and his face showed no lie, but I could not believe it! I ran to my mirror, he must be mistaken!

I stared at my reflection in horror. My hair was gone, cut jaggedly to the nape of my neck. How had I not noticed before, because my hair kept it shape from being in my braid? What did it matter, my hair was gone!

I gripped my boy-like hair in horror, and though I thought they were gone, tears came again. Ishmael held me again as I cried. It was not fair, why must I have such a long list of what is wrong? What sin had I committed that made the gods want to punish me? Was I the incarnate of a wicked person, forced to pay for my souls last life's sins? What else could they do, now that they had stolen the only thing I possessed that would pass me as a suitable bride?

I think the shock of my last thought stopped my tears. Why would I care about being a bride, I had always sworn never to marry, had I not? Then why would I care about no longer looking like a proper woman, a bride? Did I perhaps want…to be a bride?

Why now?

"Marina, are you okay now?" Ishmael asked, thinking it was so now that I no longer cried. I pulled away, and I must have looked frightfully confused, because Ishmael said, "What's ailin' ya?" I could not look at him as I signed, 'I do not know why, Mother, but I'm upset because I can't be seen as a proper bride! What is wrong with me, mum? I've never cared about being proper or pretty, what's wrong with me?!" I asked, all but completely panicked. Ishmael looked at me in shock, and then he grinned, "Why Marina, have you taken a fancy to someone?"

I stared at him in shock. Taken…a fancy…too…someone…? I shook my head viciously, it could not be possible. I could not fancy…someone…

Then again, it would explain a lot. Why I blushed, and why my stomach hurt. I looked at Ishmael, and he was still smiling happily. With wide eyes, I nodded. He laughed heartily, and gave me a hug. "Don' worry girl, it's about time! He's a good one, right?" he asked, and I nodded again. He was a good choice, of that I was sure, not that he would ever choose me. Not when he had women like Mina around…

Eventually Ishmael made me lie down, and told me to sleep. He left after kissing my forehead and I smiled. Ishmael was better than a real mum, because he was Ishmael. I grinned as I turned in the bed, I was not tired but I did not want to move. I did not want to face them staring, I was not brave enough to face him…

After lying for who knows how long in the dark, a knock came at my door. Perhaps Captain had come back after whatever it was he needed to fix. It was an excuse to get out of bed at least, so I kicked back the sheets and ran for the door. I opened it with a smile, which dropped to a frown.

There he was. Standing there in my doorway looking shocked. "Oh Marina, they said you were okay, but I…" he looked down, "I'm sorry." I shook my head, looking down ashamed. He had seen, he was not supposed to see! I was going to cover myself in a sari until my hair grew back, but no…

"Are you alright? You're not hurt are you?" I shook my head, still looking at my bare feet. I heard him sigh, and I hated it. I knew I must be horrid looking now, but he did not have to-

His hand was on my head, and I gasped in surprise, looking up in shock. "I'm glad your unharmed, I would've been most vexed if you had been hurt," he smiled, and he seemed so genuine I had to smile back. "I'll see you tomorrow then?" he asked, and I nodded, feeling my cheeks heat. He smiled wider and bid me goodnight, before walking towards his room. He had come to check on me, to make sure I was okay. As I shut the door and slid down it, still smiling, I knew there was no denying it now.

I had fallen for Henry Jekyll…


	18. Chapter 18

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Ch. 18

I awoke to the sounds of knocking. I sat up and yawned, stretching my arms over my head only to feel my back crack. I stood up smiling, and walked over to open the door. There stood Ishmael, with a plate of food and my dagger. I grinned wider and laughed as he walked in and put it on my nightstand, saying, "Mornin' Marina, feelin' better?"

He took the dagger from the tray and handed it to me as I nodded. I hurried to put it back in my shoe. When I stood up Ishmael was pulling my desk chair over by my bed. He motioned for me to sit on it as he sat on my bed. I was confused but sat down anyway. I heard the sound of metal scraping and looked behind me in shock; Ishmael had a pair of scissors in his hand!

"Don't squirm now! I gotta even out that hair a' yours!" he chastised me, and I quickly turned back around. I felt him snipping my hair and held back a sigh, knowing I would lose even more of my already too short hair. He had me turn once and clipped the front, and then he smiled and set the scissors on the bed. I smiled back, and went to look. All things considered, it did not look too bad. I touched it carefully, and found it fluffed. I smiled as I went to sit behind Ishmael and hugged him.

"Your welcome my little babe," he said as he hugged me back. He stood up and grinned, "Now, eat your food, get dressed, and go flaunt that new hair a' yours. With pride, you hear?" he asked. I nodded in agreement, and he smiled. "Good girl, I don't ever wanna see you as sad as you were yesterday, got that? You stay smiling no matter what happens," he leaned down in front of me and he looked so serious it unnerved me, "I'll always be here to back you up, so you don't ever have to worry about anything."

I stared at him in shock. True, I had always known it to be true what he was saying, but to hear him actually say it… I could not help but hug him tightly, smiling as I did. I am pretty sure I cried, but they were happy tears. Ishmael just stayed quiet as we hugged, and when I was finally stable enough to pull back, he smiled and wiped under my eyes. He kissed my forehead and he grabbed a few grapes off my plate as he walked out.

I was so happy that day that I did not even notice the stares of the crew. I could not stay still, and found myself parading around the corridors joyfully. I skipped, spun, danced, and ran. In fact, I must have looked much like the child I did not want to be, or else not be seen old enough in the eyes of Henry. I was just too happy, and it seemed as though my rounds took no time at all.

I felt the ship rise as I headed off to find Captain, and danced a bit as I walked. I stopped abruptly when I saw Henry just ahead, standing in front of Mina's doorway. He fiddled with a pocket watch in his hand before abruptly shoving it in his pocket and walking towards me.

I waved in greeting, but it was as though he did not see me. His face was clouded, and he seemed distressed. "Just shut up. I won't be tricked again" he said, but not to me, for I did not, cannot speak. Tricked, who had tricked him? Who, it was not as though anyone else was here in this hallway, and I had not heard Mina talking to him…

I walked forward and looked into Mina's room, only to hurry by with wide eyes, for she and Dorian were kissing! I kept walking in shock. I knew it! Mina and Dorian were, are much more than old acquaintances! Why on earth was Henry watching them?

I sighed, for whom was I fooling? He was watching Mina, and he watched her because she was the woman I did not know how to be. "Marina?" I had found Captain, and though I felt depression sinking in, I rushed to him.

'_Something is wrong with Henry!'_ I signed, _'He speaks to no one and sees nothing he passes!'_ I grabbed his arm and pulled him forward, past Mina's room and down the hall.

"Marina, are you quite sure-"Captain asked, then stopped. There was Henry, and he looked like he was being choked. His breath was rasping, and he seemed frenzied. I no longer needed to pull him as he walked forward, saying, "Contain your evil, Doctor!"

He spun, as though what had held him had released him. His face was red, his eyes sunken, and he looked like a trapped beast as he breathed heavily. "I'll not have the brute free upon my ship," Captain said, and his hand reached for his sword handle as he walked forward, "Must I take drastic steps?"

"I am in control," Henry said defensively, and that is where everything clicked. Hyde! Henry was talking to Hyde when he passed me! I could not believe it, but he could speak to the beast inside him! Hyde could also apparently manipulate him, for had he not been trying to choke him? I frowned deeply at the thought of Hyde hurting Henry.

"I very much doubt it," Captain said as we walked closer still, "Even the strongest of men knows evil's allure." Henry glared at Captain, "Your talk is all well and good sir, but your own past if far from laudable!" Captain froze, as did I. I knew Captain's past was not that of a saint, but for someone to bring that darkness up again…

At least he seemed ashamed, for he looked down before saying, "I'm sorry." He turned and walked away, only to stop as Captain asked, "Has Hyde killed?" He turned, and said, "He has done every evil a man can do." Were his eyes looking at me? Why? In any case, he seemed desperate for something, "And my curse, I recall his actions."

Captain walked forward, "I sympathize. My curse is I recall my own." I looked up at Captain sadly, for I knew there was more than one meaning in his words. I looked back to see Henry looking down again. No words were needed as he left, and when he did, I held Captain's arm. He looked down at me with a small smile, "Come now, Marina, don't look so glum. It's not your burden."

I nodded, but solemnly. I hated how Captain had to be sad over things he could not now change. True, I know he lived in 'the now,' but still…

I looked down the hall where Henry had disappeared and sighed. "Marina?" I looked up at him, "Why don't you go check on Dr. Jekyll, then meet me in the smaller den?" He said, and I nodded in confusion. I let go of his arm gingerly, and gave a soft smile. He smiled back as I turned towards Henry's room. I think Captain just wanted a few moments alone…

I made it to Henry's room silently. I heard him say, "If I didn't know better, I'd swear I already had." There was no reply, that meant he was talking to Hyde. I gripped the strap to my bag awkwardly, it was odd to think Hyde was still there, lurking somewhere within timid Henry. I heard him walk a short distance, and heard his ragged breaths, "One of the vials is missing," he muttered, "Oh, God." I heard his hurried steps and before I knew it, he was in front of me, pulling on his jacket.

He startled, and stared down at me with wide eyes. "Marina, have you been standing here this whole time?" he asked, and the apprehension was clear in his voice. I shook my head and pulled out my note quickly**. "Captain bid me to check on you,"** I wrote, and he moved to read over my shoulder. He sighed softly in my ear, and it tingled.

This is a very bad situation. I am alone with the man I have fallen for, who has feelings for someone else. This is very bad, and I felt my cheeks start to heat. **"**_**Are**_** you alright?"** I wrote, if anything to take my mind off his breath on my ear.

He chuckled softly, "Unfortunately, all is not well, Marina. Where is Captain Nemo, I must tell the others of Skinner's treachery." I looked at him confused, Skinner? Did he truly believe Skinner had done this? True, he was a thief, and although he was quite troublesome, he was mostly harmless. Would he really endanger everyone by stealing what created Hyde?

I motioned for him to follow me, and as we walked, all was silent. Eventually, he spoke, "You styled your hair, Marina?" I gave a small smile, and wrote, "Mum did," I wrote, before quickly crossing out 'mum,' and replacing it with 'Ishmael.'

He leaned over to read it and laughed, "Ishmael's your mother than, huh?" he asked, and I nodded. "Then I suppose Captain Nemo is your-"he tapered off as I looked down. "I'm sorry Marina, I didn't mean too…" I shook my head and smiled sadly, **"I think of him that way, but have never been brave enough to speak of it." **

Henry nodded, "I think you're very brave Marina, even if you don't speak of it. There aren't many girls like you, you know." He smiled, and it made my heart flutter. **"The very problem is that I'm not like other girls." **I wrote, but I smiled when he laughed. "Being like others isn't always a good thing," he told me, and I believed him, simply because he told me so, because if he believed what he said, then I might have a chance…

I could hear Captain speaking, "So it's clear with Da Vinci's blueprints and enough explosives he could set a bomb that would blow Venice's foundations to rubble." Then Sawyer spoke, "He's gonna sink the whole city." Mr. Q. was there too, "Yes, and uh, spark off his world war."

We turned the corner and entered the room, "I'm afraid that's not the sum of our problems," Henry spoke, and the men stood in anticipation of his bad news. "Skinner, he's taken a vial of my formula."

"Are you sure?" Mr. Q. asked, and my brows knit together, not able to believe. 'No,' I thought, as Henry said, "Who else? You've seen the way the sneaky blackguard operates." As the seriousness of the situation fell, Ishmael appeared behind us, "Captain, were here."

The League was about to fulfill its purpose...


	19. Chapter 19

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Ch. 19

We headed for the helm, and Captain brought searched through the periscope to asses our surroundings. "It's the carnival," I could hear the shock in Captain's voice, "My God, we must locate that bomb." I could not agree more, for I knew of Venice's carnival. I knew with all the people centralized, it would be that much easier to destroy them!

"We can go no further, captain," Ishmael said, and Captain moved forward, "All ahead, stop." I could hear the top of the ship scraping against the bridges and winced, poor Nautilus. We walked down to the opening doors and where the rest of the League assembled. The divers were ready aside the other men there in case they were needed. I grinned at them, though I do not think they saw. I had run ahead, and saw Maitreya, we had a new joke now. He would protect himself whenever I walked by, mostly playfully.

The ramps lowered, but I chose to not get in the divers way by cutting across to once more meet the League and just jumped down with Maitreya. I hurried through the men and heard Captain as he walked down saying to Ishmael, "Deploy the divers beneath the city. The explosives must be found."

"Aye aye, Captain," Ishmael said. I met them below and took my position at Captain's left hand side. "The city is vast. It could be anywhere," Mina said with worry in her voice. "What about Skinner?" Sawyer asked, and I smiled at his good question. What about Skinner?

"I'd be alert for his treachery," Dorian said. Ouch. That one hurt. I suppose I really am the only one who is uneasy about his conviction…

An explosion made me gasp, only to see the sky light up with fireworks. I pressed a hand to my heart to stop its wild beatings from fear. I could hear the partygoers cheering as the fireworks continued. "Bloody carnival," Mr. Q. said, and I could not have agreed more.

"God, I feared the worst," Mina said, to which I also had to agree. "It's all right. We still have..." Sawyer started, only to stop as the ground shook violently. I am ashamed to say I tumbled, and landed at someone's legs. I looked up quickly and saw Henry's shocked stare. He grabbed my arm and picked me up as he stared wildly around. "The buildings are falling like dominoes!" Lalit called frantically from the crows nest. "We're too late!" Mina whispered, and my eyes widened in fear.

I saw Mr. Q. run to the corner of one of the closest building. He stared down the lane and turned towards us again, "There must be more than one bomb. Nemo! The bombs are at the city's center. We must take out one key building," he yelled as he ran towards us. Henry's hand, stayed wrapped on my arm as we moved to listen to what was being said.

"Yes!" Captain cried in understanding, "Get ahead and destroy the next building!" Sawyer turned as he said, "We can interrupt the chain!" Captain nodded, "With a beacon place at the exact coordinates, I could launch a rocket and take out the domino."

Suddenly Sawyer was running back to the Nautilus, "Well that's ridiculous. We'd never get there in time!" Dorian said, looking smug. "There would be no room for error, but I tell you it could work!" Captain told him. Suddenly Henry spoke, and it sounded like it was in desperation, "What are you talking about, Gray's right!"

"I'm an immortal sir, not a gazelle. How can we outrun this?" Dorian asked looking annoyed. Suddenly an engine was roaring. I knew that sound, it was the Automobile! Suddenly the Automobile was speeding down the ramp. It spun to a stop and Sawyer was there, saying, "Care for a spin?"

Mina and Mr. Q. rushed forward to jump into the Automobile. Henry's hand dropped from my arm and figuring he would follow them I ran to Captain's side, ready for instruction. Despite wanting to go, I knew my place was by his side, and I would not give that up for anything.

Dorian, Mina, Mr. Q., and Sawyer were seated in the Automobile, and I had a bad feeling it was the last time I would see. "Come on Jekyll, get in," Mr. Q. said. "I'll need coordinates," Captain reminded them. "Can you track this?" Mr. Q. asked. "Of course," Captain told him. "Then this'll be your target. Launch when you see the flare," Mr. Q. told him.

"Right," Captain said, and headed for the ramp, I followed him quickly. Looking back, I saw the Automobile rushed forward and then seized to a stop. My mouth dropped open. That fool had flooded it! I sighed in annoyance, as he looked shocked. Mr. Q. looked annoyed and jumped out of the car to try to push it. I grabbed Captain's sleeve and he turned, I pointed to the Automobile and he nodded.

With a wave of his arm, several men ran forward to push the Automobile. As they tried to get it started, Mr. Q. yelled, "Jekyll come on! We'll need Hyde!" Standing rigid, his face red from stress cried, "No! Hyde will never use me again!" The engine roared to life, and before they disappeared Dorian turned back and said, "Then what good are you?"

Anger burned through me, how dare Dorian say things like that about Henry! It was remarks like that that was ruining Henry's confidence! Without thinking of Captain, I rushed forward and grabbed Henry's arm. He looked down at me with sunken eyes, and I tugged at his arm, pulling him towards the ship.

"Marina, I-"he seemed so aloof, and I hugged his arm tighter as I pulled him along. If only I could speak, I could tell him how very good he was. "-I'm so disgusted at how useless I am…" He muttered, and I shook my head in defiance, if only I could talk. I think I would have confessed to him right there.

I guess it is a good thing I cannot…

I walked with his arm held closely to my chest, giving him no way to escape to a solitude invaded by Hyde. Henry did not need Hyde; he was fine as he was. Even if no one else needed him, I did!

His eyes seemed to finally focus, and he smiled softly down at me with half-lidded, sunken eyes. We were in the hall now, on our way to the helm to meet Captain. We were alone, and the explosions that had shaken the ground beneath our feet outside did nothing to the ground beneath our feet now. "I know I should be ashamed of myself, but my pride is soaring," he muttered, and I hugged him tighter, smiling.

He looked down at me, and his eyes appeared less shrunken, his face was back to its original shade. He smiled down at me, and I returned it brightly. The quiet of the hall was dimming the truth of what was going on outside. "Can I guess what you want to say?" he asked me softly, and I nodded.

"Something like, how I'm more than just Hyde to the League, and that even if they don't find me useful, you do?" he asked softly, and my mouth dropped. How had he known? He smiled, and muttered, "I'm right, then? Heh, you would say that, wouldn't you, Marina?"

Then he embraced me, and for a moment, the world disappeared. No League, or bomb, or waiting Captain. There was just Henry and his warm body holding mine. I heard him whisper something, "Thank you," I think, but I did not hear clearly. I was drunk with his scent, and my hands finally reacted and desperately reached up to clutch his coat tightly.

It could not have been more than a few moments, but as time had slowed, I was not sure. He finally pulled away, and for a moment, I was disorientated. Then my senses returned, and grudgingly I motioned for him to follow me to Captain.

I saw Captain walking as we turned to the way to the launch controls, and only then did I drop Henry's arm and launch myself forward to walk beside him. Ishmael had seen me, I know he had, but he kept quiet about it as he addressed the bombs.

"The collapse has reached the Carnival, Captain," Ishmael reported, "Time's runnin out." Captain stayed stoic as he said, "Turn the tracers to the car's frequency. The rocket must be ready to launch. "Aye aye Captain," Ishmael said as Chapal opened the door and let us through. As we walked, metal clanged and the boat shook. Captain headed for the crow's nest as I stayed with Ishmael and Henry.

The buildings around us must have been falling about, for the Nautilus shook like a leaf on the wind. "We'll be smashed apart!" A panicking Oojam yelled. Ishmael turned on him in fury and said, "Nemo says we stay, we stay!"

I nodded in fierce agreement. Captain's word was final! "He has overtaken the collapse, be ready to launch!" Captain called down from the crows nest. "Launch!" Captain called, and Ishmael pulled the lever.

Finally, the shaking stopped, and the Nautilus stilled. I smiled widely and shook Ishmael's coat sleeve, bouncing happily. They had done it, Venice was saved! I grinned at Henry, who smiled back, and I noticed Oojam looked relieved. "Alright Marina, all's well now. Go and meet them as they return!" Ishmael laughed, and I think he just wanted me to let go of his sleeve. I did so, and hugged him happily, he returned it, laughing at me, and I stuck my tongue out as I let go of him.

I gave the men thumb's up and patted Oojam's shoulder, and looked back at Henry, wondering if he would meet them with me, before running down the hall. "Do you have'ta _**run**_everywhere you go, girl? Dangers over, ya'know!" He was laughing, and I turned as I ran, made a heart with my hands, and placed it over my own, before turning back and making sure my steps stomped as I ran. I could hear all the men laughing at me now, and I grinned as I ran…


	20. Chapter 20

Ch

Ch. 20

Several of the men had been hurt as the buildings of the surrounding area were destroyed. Being Captain's apprentice, I did hold power over the men, though not much. I started grouping the men together, and had them take those whom had injuries without blood into the ship with instructions to have them cared for. I sent several to collect lying chairs for the ones with blood wounds. With the men caring for the sick, I sighed in relief. No one had died.

I had yet to see Maitreya, and started to worry something had happened. I asked Oorjit if he had seen him, and he told me he had not since before the bombs went off. I thanked him and set out to search for my friend. As I search I saw Dorian entering the ship, and for a moment I abandoned my search to rush over to him.

'_Dorian! Where is everyone else?_' I signed, and felt my heart drop, fearing the worst. Dorian raised his brow, "Not good enough that I made it back safely then, is it?" he asked, and I scrunched my face, in a cross between a pout and annoyance at his stupidity. He gave a small smile, if you can call it that, and pat my head. It was odd, just last night Henry had done the same thing, but the feeling was so…different.

Now it seemed…odd for Dorian to be touching my head, as if he was ruining something important. "We were attacked and had to split up, I'm sure their on their way," he said, and finally removed his hand. He moved to walk past me, and I grabbed his hand before he could. I had been rude; I did not want him to think badly of me…

'_Welcome back, Dorian!'_ I signed and smiled as I did. He stared at me for a moment, before smiling back, and this time I could call it a smile. He did not say anything, but I think in his own narcissistic way he was saying, 'thank you.' He finally turned and disappeared into the ship, and I began again my search for Maitreya.

He was not among the crew, and no one had seen him enter the ship. I frown and hurried to check the surrounding buildings, hoping to find him there. I did find him, his arms wrapped around a costumed woman, whispering words to her that made her flush and giggle. All the concern in my body left in a rush, replaced with annoyance and an urge to smack him, which I obeyed.

He yelled out as my flat palm whacked the back of his head, and he did not stop when he saw it was I, "-Can't you see I'm trying to calm this anxious woman?" he asked, trying to be the hero, and I looked at the women with a raised brow. He face was completely red, and she looked extrememly uneasy at being caught. I had to guess she had separated from her date. _'You don't even speak Italian you bloody fool!'_ I signed before grabbing his ear and yanking him back towards the ship.

He yelled profanities at me the whole way there, and if I could speak, I would have warned him I would kick him again. Alas, with one hand dragging him by the ear, I merely rolled my eyes to the sky and relinquished his ear when I found Lalit.

'Keep him in sight, and make sure he helps the men who're hurt!' I commanded Lalit as Maitreya fumed. "I do not need a watchdog, silent one! If you're that jealous, just marry me and I'll no longer need to look at others!" He told me and I stuck my tongue out at him. 'You wish I was jealous!' I signed in annoyance. "You know you were jealous! Otherwise, you would not have-"he started, but I ceased to hear him. Henry was walking down the ramp, pulling at his cuffs, and seemed to be looking for someone.

"Hey, are you listening to me?" Maitreya waved his hand angrily in front of my face. I looked back at him, oopsie. _'Were you still talking?'_ I asked, and his face fell, while Lalit laughed. "Somehow I don't think she's jealous of you Maitreya," He said, and grabbed his shoulder, "Come, let us help the others."

Lalit lead Maitreya away as he grumbled. He turned his head just long enough to wink before disappearing among the men again. I turned to go to Henry, and ended up bumping into him. "Ah, there you are, Marina. Ishmael would've been quite cross if I had lost you," he smiled down at me as he steadied me. I smiled bashfully at him, for I could just imagine what Ishmael said to him.

"Has anyone returned yet?" he asked, and I nodded. Not wanting to pull out my note, I held up one finger, to show him the amount. Then I put my hand on my hip and cocked it, pretending to lean on a cane. I did my best to look smug as I launched my nose into the air and stared at him down the bridge of it. He began to laugh, and I dropped my pose, smiling.

Captain walked down the ramp, and I smiled at him. I told him the happy news of no deaths, and we began to nurse those who were hurt. I was wrapping Waman's arm when Mr. Q. appeared, holding his shoulder. "The Fantom is M!" he called, and I stopped wrapping in shock. "-And the hunt is still on," Mr. Q. finished. I quickly handed Waman's wrapping over to Tapas and walked over to Captain's side.

"What are you talking about?" Henry asked, and I could hear that he understood, he just hoped it was not so. "The Fantom is M. The very man who recruited us!" Mr. Q. said again. "Let me see that," Henry offered, motioning to his shoulder. Mr. Q. shrugged him off and said, "No!"

"But how?" Captain asked. "We'll get our answers," Mr. Q. said with assurance. "Where are the others?"

"Dorian's missing in action;" Mina was back, "And Mr. Skinner must have fled when he realized we knew." Mr. Q. looked down, rubbing his wound. Stubborn old toad, why would he not just let Henry treat it? "And Sawyer?" he asked.

"He'll live to fight another day," Sawyer was back as well! He walked up to us, and I saw he had a gash on his forehead. Mina walked up to him and he startled. "Don't worry, I've had my fill of throats for this evening," she assured him. He stood there with her hand on his head, looking at her apprensively.

"Captain!" Ishmael. I turned my head and with horror saw him limping, holding on to the railing for support. Without thinking, I ran as fast as I could to him, and heard the others behind me. Henry made it in front of me and held him as he fell. I stared with wide eyes at the crimson blood shining on his vest, and felt tears prick my eyes at the horror of the realization that hit me.

He had been shot. Someone had shot my mum! He panted, as he seemed to force out, "It was Gray. Not Skinner. Gray's tricked us all."

His eyes were wide with his own realization. He was going to die. He could not. No! No! No! I felt tears prick my eyes as his own flashed over to mine, and I gripped his hand tightly. It was warm, he could not be dying, it was warm!

His body trembled as he took a shuddering breath, and his eyes grew cold.

Mum?

I squeezed his hand tightly.

Mother?

His eyes were glazed.

Ishmael?!

I could hear my own ragged breath roar in my ears. Gone. He was gone. No, no, no!

I pit down on my lip so hard it drew blood. It filled my mouth as I forced the tears not to fall. I could not be selfish, I could not think of only my own pain. Captain and the others would be hurting too, I could not be selfish!

I heard metal clanging. It was the exploration pod being deployed. "What is that?" Mina asked. Captian stood, "The sound of treachery!"

I did not want to leave. How could I leave him now that he was growing cold? Maitreya was taking Ishmael from Henry. Henry came to my side. I did not see him, but I felt his presence at my side. "Marina," he was whispering my name, his hands at my shoulders.

I was helped up, and Ishmael's hand dropped from my own. I could feel the blood dripping down my chin, as I was lead away from him. I did not know where I was going, but always hands were on my shoulders.

Then we were on another ramp, and the exploration pod was falling into the ocean. "What is that thing?" Sawyer called. "My exploration pod," Captain told them. I looked up, and Henry's hands had left my shoulders to steady himself on the ramp.

The pod started moving, and the window opened. Dorian was inside it, and he blew a kiss to Mina. I clenched my teeth so hard my jaw hurt. I wanted to kill him, if I could have, I would have. I took a step forward and the chain holding the ramp stopped me. I gripped it in anger, I wanted to kill him!

"We can track it," Mr. Q. said. "I intend to catch it!" Captain all but yelled, and I glared at Dorian in anger. Captain ran back inside. I turned and followed him. We would catch him, and I would rip that smirk right off his face!

The ship was started at full speed. We headed towards the map that charted the pods place and our own. For the others, Captain said while pointing, "That is us. That is the Nautiloid. We shall be upon them soon."

Captain stood beside his maps, and grabbed the one he needed. I took a seat, staring blankly at my hands. Mum was gone. Mum was gone, and I had welcomed that murder back!

I clasped my hands together and closed my eyes. 'Kali,' I though, 'Please take care of mum for me. Please. Please. Please!'

A high-pitched, electronic twittering suddenly burned my eardrums. I grabbed them in agony, my eardrums stinging. The others groaned as well, and everyone looked around in shock. "Nemo?" Mr. Q. asked. "It's nothing of mine," Captain told him. Why would it be, you old toad? We did not want something that made our ears bleed!

Nishad walked in carrying something and the twittering stopped. "Captain, the noise came from this," he said as he handed it to Captain. Captain looked at it and said, "A recording disk?" He took it from its case and put it on the phonograph. He turned it on and a woman's voice said,

"**Ready professor?**

…

**-Recording."**

M's voice filled the room, **"Gentlemen, if you're hearing this then every step leading up to it has gone as planned." **I glared at the disk, as though M could see it. 'Was killing Ishmael part of your plan?!' I screamed in my head.

"**And I have been true to the goals set to me." **

It was Dorian, and I felt my throat tighten in anger. How dare you! 'Goals set to me,' my arse you bastard!

"**Yes, it's me, Dorian."**

We have noticed you bloody fool!

"**As you know by now, I'm no loyal son of the Empire."**

We've noticed.

"**My loyalty to Mr. M comes in no small part from his possession of something I hold very dear to my heart-"**

What? Murderers do not have hearts. They have nothing they hold dear to their hearts!

"**-Something I would do anything to regain."**

So you've proved you heartless coward!

"Are you all right?" Mina asked, and Henry answered, "My ears hurt. It's nothing."

"**Everything so far has been misdirection. Sanderson Reed, the assassins in Kenya your recruitment and mission, the secret conference, a myth."**

I clenched my teeth again. All those deaths for nothing?

"**Even the League itself. There is no League. There never was."**

Then what do you call us? We, who are together and have been through so much.

"**It was a ruse to get me closer to my goals."**

"He likes the sound of his own voice," Sawyer said.

"**You see, I want you, each of you,**

**even tired old Quatermain. He'll capture Hyde where all others have failed. The question is why. Why all this mask and mystery? Because in the war to come, I intend to wield the greatest weapon of all: The power of the League itself."**

I glared at the disk in disgust, he wanted the League?

"**To that end, I set my wolf among you sheep-"**

"**Growl," **It was Dorian, and I clenched my fist.

"**-who'll gain your trust, quietly lead you astray."**

"**And all the while, I'll collect you, the parts of you I need. Nemo's science."** Dorian was talking again.

"Magnesium phosphorus," Mina whispered in shock, and I clenched my hands harder. How dare he?!

"**Skinner's skin sample."**

Poor Skinner, he really was innocent!

**Jekyll's potion. Mina's blood. And even an extra treat, Marina's script. Bravo, by the way. Who would have ever thought look underneath your mattress?"**

"He's stolen us, and we let him," Henry growled.

**If you fail to save Venice, then I get my war. And if you succeed... well, it's a small price to pay for Gray to go about his task. War will come, sooner or later...as inevitable as summer into autumn. Now, some of you, perhaps Quatermain, if he isn't dead...will pause to ask why I'm letting you know all this. What fool reveals his stratagem**

**before the game is over? It is over, for you...because my voice isn't the only sound being made."**

W-what?

**While I've rambled on, a secondary layer of inaudible sound higher than humans can hear, audible to dogs and lower animals has been heard by crystal sensors dotted about your vessel. Sensors attached to bombs.**

'What?!' I thought in alarm as glasses vibrated.

"**"Bomb" voyage."**

Dorian ended the disk. I stood up from my chair in alarm as Captain destroyed the phonograph.

The ship shook violently and I toppled to the floor.

We were too late; the bombs had gone off!

Side Note:

20 CHAPTERS!

Oh gods, I have never written such a long story on my own! Thank you everyone!

Those who have reviewed, saved, and read, for your constant motivation.

I had tears in my eyes as I wrote this one. Gods, that's never happened before. I cannot believe I actually got so into writing this! It's amazing! I'm so happy!

-WitchWhoLovesHim


	21. Chapter 21

Ch

Ch. 21

Captain lead as we ran awkwardly to the helm. The Nautilus was sinking and had tipped, making our journey that much harder. With no time for manners, Captain shoved Phalgun away from the wheel shouting, "Out of the way!"

"We have to stop this!" Mr. Q. yelled as the alarms rang, and the ship shook. Captain looked back from where he was struggling with the wheel and said, "We're taking on too much water. The controls are not responding!"

"Primary engine room almost full. The aft bunkhead is open. Valves are jammed!" Rajani yelled as he ran into the room. I was clinging to the hanging meter when he did, and gasped in horror. Vishal was there, and I knew what had to be done.

"Seal it off!" Captain ordered, and my eyes widened. "But there are men in there, Captain!" Rajani was equally horrified. Captain turned again and commanded, "For the greater good we must seal it!"

No. I could not accept that. I could not handle losing more lives tonight. That bastard had taken Ishmael from me; he would not take Vishal from me too!

A particularly horrible jolt sent Rajani rolling. I used the confusion to literally fall through the door. I landed against a table and gasped as I lost my breath. It took me a panicked few moments before it returned, and in that time I could hear Henry yelling. My ears were ringing though, and I could not make it out. So instead of trying to figure it out, I ran.

I had almost made it. All I had to do was run down one more hall, and I could be there. I still did not know what I was going to do, I was just running blind and determined. I did not want more to die, and if they did, I might as well be among them. Captain could find a new apprentice…

Then someone was calling my name. I did not stop until two arms wrapped around me, and I struggled against them. "Marina, stop! What do you think you can do?" Henry asked me, refusing to let go.

I can die with them, that would be enough.

Still holding me back, Henry maneuvered in front of me and held my shoulders to keep me in place. I glared at him, and he said quickly, "Marina, you going down there is suicide!"

I do not care!

It must have shown, because Henry looked scared as he said, "Please, let me take care of this! I swear I won't let them die!" he said, and my eyes widened. What could he do? Unless…

Unless he used Hyde. My eyes were wide, and Henry smiled slightly. "I won't let you kill yourself, Marina," he said as he let go of my shoulders, for I had grown still. It did not make sense. Henry hated Hyde, and now he was going to let him free?

He was running to the door, and I saw him struggle through it. "Hold it. Wait!" I heard him yelling to the panicking men. Oh, what if he? This could be the last time I see him! That thought made my heart pound, and I rushed forward, stopping at the hall opening. The door had slammed shut behind him, and I wrenched it open to peer down at him.

"Don't close it!" Henry was ordering. "What are you doing?" Yatin yelled. "It's our last chance!" Henry said as he forced the door open. "But I have orders to close it!" Yatin insisted. Henry had opened the door, and he looked at Yatin and yelled over the noise, "Then close it!" Before jumping in, and disappearing from my sight as Yatin yelled, "Seal it off," and the others sealed him inside.

I felt my eyes watering again. I had heard so many panicked cries from inside the room. It was only a matter of time before it sealed completely, and they all drowned. Only a matter of time before Jekyll died…

I stood there and shook. I would lose them all, I would lose everyone. We would all drown here, and Jekyll alone as Hyde. I felt tears in my eyes, if Hyde saved them… If he saved them, I am not sure, but if he did, I would no longer fear him.

Did I ever really though? Was my fear not just an excuse to hide that I fancied Henry? It did not matter anymore, because they could both be dying at this very moment. They could all be dying and I was just standing here, shaking.

Suddenly, the ship shook again. This time however, it was not violent, but continuing, and my eyes widened. The ship was righting itself, H-Hyde had done it!

The ship shook one last time, and everything was right. Without hesitation, I shoved past the men and unsealed the door, flinging it open and staring at the men. They were all waterlogged, and most were shaking, but they were alive. They were alive!

I rushed forward to the one closest to me, Eknath, and he was shaking. When he saw me he almost cried, and I hugged him tightly. I did so to all of the men, and though they did not fall, I had tears in my eyes. Then there was Vishal, looking shaken up, but no worse for wear. Tears did fall when I saw him, and I hugged him the tightest and longest of all the other men. He laughed, shakily, then with gusto, and soon, we were all laughing in relief.

It was cut short as Hyde walked into view. The men all stared, for most of them, their last meeting with Hyde had not been pleasant. Their unease seeped through the room like a gas, and I saw Hyde's blue eyes darken as he looked at them from his lowered head. He looked menacing, he really did, but if no one else would…

I stepped away from Vishal gently, now quite wet from hugging him (and the others), and he looked at me and said, "Uh, lass, what're you…?" I just smiled, and walked up to Hyde. He looked down at me, and I stared up at him. Blue eyes. The same kind Henry had, but Hyde was not Henry. Hyde was his own beast…person, wasn't he? I had spent so long hating him for that widower, I had not even considered that he could be anything other than what she described him as. He had saved everyone, hadn't he?

Finally, I grinned, and he looked so shocked that he was no longer menacing. I stepped back and bowed deeply to him, and when I rose, I hugged him tightly. He was so big my arms barely reached to his sides, I felt him seize up, and the room still. I could hear the men shifting uneasily, and then something happened I did not expect. As I was about to move back, Hyde's giant hands stopped me. They completely covered my back and head, and surprisingly enough, they were gentle. As if he was afraid he was going to hurt me.

I grinned up at him and finally pulled away. He did not look scary now, if anything, he was merely confused. I turned to the men and frowned, "Thank him!" I signed in anger. What cowards they were!

…

Okay, so maybe that is a little hypocritical, but still. My fear of Hyde was gone, so there!

The men quickly found little ways of thanking him. Bowing, a quick word, or even a small smile. Vishal had me wrapped in his arms as this happened, quietly chastising me for doing something so dangerous. I just smiled as I waited, only half listening.

Finally, the potion ran out, and I grinned as Henry stood up, panting. Now the men were much more willing to thank him, and he seemed flustered as they swarmed him. I laughed softly, kissed Vishal's cheek, and walked forward to save Henry from the swarm.

Grabbing his free hand (the other held up his pants) I pulled him away from them and towards the door quickly. As I pulled him out the door one of the men called, "Going to get your shawl?" and I slammed the door shut on their laughter as my cheeks flushed.

Henry laughed too, softly, and I looked away. I had yet to thank him, and I still held his hand. Awkwardly, I squeezed it, and he looked at me. I dropped it, feeling bashful, and before I could stop myself, I hugged him. He started, and I felt myself blush. Then his hand was on my head, his arm across my back. I smiled and hugged him tighter, before pulling away. He grinned at me and I did the same.

Without thinking, I grabbed him hand again and lead him to get more clothes. As I did, I panicked. Oh Kali, why had I done that? My hand had moved on its own! I think I shocked him, but he did not say anything against it, and he even held mine back! His palm was sweaty…

I let go of his hand at his door, and smiled as he went inside. I wondered if I should wait for him or go ahead. Would it be weird to walk in with him? Henry peeked his head out just before he closed the door, "You can go on ahead Marina."

I nodded my head and turned to leave. I heard him shut the door before running back to the helm. I slowed at the doors and tried to slip in without anybody noticing me. The League was still shaken, and were just entering the saloon. Captain was the last to enter, with Eknath, soaking wet, at his side. My eyes widened with horror as I heard him.

"Then Marina rushed in and made sure we were all okay. Then Hyde came in and everybody was anxious and Marina was the only one brave enough to go over to him! And then she-!" He did not get to finish that sentence. With flushing cheeks, I sent the closest thing to me, a broken handle, and sent it flying towards his head. Captain caught it before it struck and Eknath's eyes widened at me.

He squirmed and then quickly bowed to Captain, then me, before he hurried out, most likely to change. I walked over to Captain, my cheeks red, and bowed low to him. Whatever punishment he had waiting for me, I knew I deserved.

"And when you made it there, what did you intend to do?" He asked me quietly. Henry had asked me that too, and I had vouched dying then. I could not do that now, not to Captain. I was so ashamed my face burned worse and I bowed lower, knowing I probably deserved a lashing. I had never had one before, but I knew that was considered a good punishment, and I shuddered at the thought.

"Marina?" I finally looked up at Captain, ready to face whatever anger burned in his eyes. I did not see any though, only relief. He raised his hand, and I flinched, only to blush again as his palm softly rested on my cheek, his fingers covering my ear. The notion was enough to bring intolerable shame, and I had to close my eyes to stop the tears it brought.

His hand left my face, and I opened my eyes carefully. He gave a small smile, and then moved to help clean up. It took me a minute, but I smiled too, and hurried to help right the toppled room. Henry finally walked in, dry and dressed, and was greeted much more warmly than often.

"Let's not make a saint out of a sinner. Next time he may not be so helpful. Can we, uh, still follow Gray?" I frowned as I looked at the ruined charter, and sighed. "Well we were the faster, but now we're the tortoise to his hare." Mr. Q. explained, and I rather liked his storybook way of putting it.

"So we're done?" Henry asked. "No! We're alive. If M has any ideas to the contrary, that gives us an edge."

"The sea is vast," Captain said wisely, and I nodded in agreement, "He could be anywhere."

"Yeah well I'm an optimist, and now maybe that's a crime to you twisted so-and-so's but it keeps me from going crazy." Tom continued, and righted a table.

"Your optimism's out of place," Mina told him, and he slammed a vase on the table and said, "Your wrong. Cuz we'll get our man. Or at least I will," he looked down and said, "That other agent I told you about, was my childhood friend." He looked up, leaning on the table and said, "We were agents together, until the Fantom shot him dead. Now you can be done, but I am not!" he paused, "I will avenge his death.

Henry stepped forward, taking a deep breath and said, "It's not about any one of us, Tom, it's bigger than that…" and Tom looked up and said fiercely, "Yes it is, Jekyll!" walking over to him. "The fate of the world is in our hands," he paused and my eyes widened, "The world."

-So M tricked you. He brought you all together, and you walked straight into his trap, but, the way that I see it," he smiled, "That was his big mistake. He brought you together."

Henry smiled, "He has a point." From his chair, Mr. Q. said, "And the boy becomes a man. Perhaps a leader of men." Tom seemed to glow, and I smiled at him. It was as though he had just grown up.

"-And women," Mina said quietly, and Tom looked at her. I blinked in surprise, for they looked lost to each other for a moment.

"Captain," Jeevan called as he entered, "We're getting a signal!" Captain quickly hurried past him, with me behind him…

Side Note:

Last scene with Tom, legit. Deleted scenes


	22. Chapter 22

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Ch. 22

We made it to the telegraph, which Tej was working. We filled in the doorway eagerly to hear the message. "Morse code, what's it say?" Tej looked up at us and said, "Hello my freaky darlings." I grinned widely, it was-

"-Skinner?" Tom said.

"Uh, hiding on board little fist with Gray and M. On way to base, east by north east. Follow my lead."

I smiled up at Captain, 'Skinner's always been a good guy,' I told him, and of that I was entirely convinced. Captain smiled down at me with a raised brow and said, "Yes, I do believe so…"

"P.S. Tell Marina I'm having a jolly time learning her script, and that she better find a good hiding place for that diary of hers."

My face fell, and I frowned deeply at the machine. Henry smiled, looking down at me and said, "You keep a diary?" I felt my face heat, and without a nod turned and started to walk away. "Finding a new hiding place, eh girl?" Mr. Q. asked, and I could hear him laughing at me. Without thinking, my fist balled and slammed into wall beside me. I felt it dent, but I also felt my knuckles burn. I bit my tongue to stop the tears of pain, and hurried out of the room. Thank Kali I could not scream! I flexed my hand and sighed, it hurt horribly, but I did not think it was broken. That is a good thing, I guess…

The damage done to the ship was incredible, and I found myself incredibly angry that not even the Nautilus had escaped the damage Dorian had caused. Not that I had helped by denting the wall (which I was scowled for after I re-hid my diary under my floorboard). I sighed as I sat by Captain's side as he charted our course. He was doing it alone. He looked so out of place without Ishmael beside him.

Without meaning it, tears welled in my eyes, and I quickly looked down to hide my face. My hair fell in front of my face, and I gave a bitter grin. How ironic, short hair actually comes in handy. I swallowed hard and breathed deeply through my nose, my eyes closed. I could not cry. Not in front of the men. Probably not even in front of Captain.

Captain needed to know I was strong enough to handle anything. If I did not prove it to him, how could he ever trust me with the Nautilus? I finally blinked my tears away and looked up. Captain was still charting our course, and I sighed softly.

Standing, I went to see our path so far charted. Captain smiled down at me softly, and I returned it. "Why don't you go help Mr. Sawyer in the engine room? I'm sure they could use you," Captain suggested, and I nodded gratefully. Helping to fix the engine room would give me something to do, something to take my mind off…Everything.

I did not realize where I was until I heard Tom say, "Marina?" I looked up in surprise, to find I had made it to the engine room. I smiled and pulled out my note, quickly scribbling, **"Captain sent me to help." **He read the note quickly and smiled, "Well alright then! C'mon and help me get the tools the men need," he said, and I smiled back and followed him…For a while. He ended up trying to lead us astray, and I took over, leading him to collect the tools.

He grinned sheepishly while thanking me, and I had to laugh at him as we loaded his bag with tools. I took an armful and we headed back, and he chatted of simple things I could answer by nodding my head. The few questions that could not be answered with a nod he guessed at until he got it right. Like my age, for example. He started at twenty and worked his way down to seventeen, and I laughed again as he went on to tell me I did not look it, and that he had expected maybe fifteen.

We made it back to the engine room and for the next few hours, we worked without stopping. Finally, the ship stopped, and I smiled, knowing we had docked for the repairs that would take more than we could offer on the sea. It was late into the night, and the men retired for now, for they were weary, and had been up many more hours than they expected to be. I smiled and bid them goodnight, staying behind until they had all disappeared.

Tom showed up and grinned, "Plannin to stay up and do it yourself?" He jested, and I grinned. I scrawled, **"I need to go check on the men that were hurt." **He looked at the note and said, "Mina and Jekyll are takin care of'em. I don't think ya need to worry." I smiled at him and shook my head, **"Not that I don't trust Henry and Mina and the men, but I just want to make sure they're okay." **

He nodded and smiled, "Yeah, I get it. Not satisfied unless ya see it yourself, huh?" he asked, and I nodded. We had made it to the hall, and needed to go separate ways. I waved to him and headed right, I did not hear him walking away, and a moment later, he called my name. I stopped and turned to look at him, and he seemed uneasy. He squirmed where he stood, before looking up at me. His eyes held sadness, and it almost scared me.

"Marina, I'm uh, real sorry about Ishmael. He was a real nice guy. It, it wasn't fair you had'a lose 'im, y'know?" he finally said, and I bit my lip, which I had already cleaned of blood. It smarted from its second biting today, and I winced, releasing it. I grabbed my note and slowly wrote**, "Thank you Tom, I'm sorry about your friend as well…"** I stopped, not sure if I should add it, and then wrote, **"Everyone will be avenged when we beat the Fantom, together."**

He read the note, and smiled. "Yeah," he said, and then he brightened, "Goodnight Marina!" he said and turned to leave. He seemed okay, but I felt bad for making him sad, and grabbed his shoulder, bidding him wait a moment longer. I scribbled my next note on a fresh sheet of paper, and tore it out. Folding it, I handed it to him and quickly stalked off before he could say anything.

I had written, **"I believe Mina has fallen for you,"** and I could hear him chuckling as I turned the corner. I smiled and headed towards the 'sick bay,' which was just the hallway where everyone was being treated. I gasped as I saw Maitreya sitting there with his head against the wall. I rushed up to him and dropped to my knees in front of him. He opened his eyes and smiled at me with lidded eyes.

'_What did you do to yourself, idiot?' _I asked him, glaring. How had he managed to hurt himself when he should not have been anywhere near the bomb. He gave a crooked smile and chuckled shakily, "A bookshelf fell on me, don't remember it though. Mild concussion."

My eyes widened in shock, and I looked quickly for Henry or Mina. Speak of the devil, Mina walked in and I hurried to stand and tugged her arm. She looked down at me in shock and asked what was wrong. I pointed to Maitreya quickly, and it took her a moment to understand. "Oh, don't worry, he'll be fine. He has no memory of the accident, but that's typical of mild concussions. He has a bit of bleeding on his arm from the accident, but we'll patch him up once Dr. Jekyll comes back with the gauze." She smiled slightly at me as I let her go. "You've been working in the engine room with Sawyer, have you not? We're almost done here, its best you go to bed now. It's…been a long day for you, right?"

She smiled, but I know what she was thinking of. I looked away and nodded, leaving without checking on the other men. I knew they would be fine until I could check on them tomorrow. I could leave for now. As I turned the corner I bumped into Henry, and I managed a small smile as he asked how I was. I asked him by pointing, and he said all was well. I nodded and dropped my smile as I passed, waving goodbye.

I walked into my room and sighed. I had not stopped to think as I entered earlier, and it had not been silent and still then. With dismal spirits, I changed into my nightgown, and sat upon my bed. Just yesterday…Just yesterday Ishmael had been here. Been right in front of me, comforting me, and just today…

Just today, he told he would always be here, to back me up, so I did not ever have to worry about anything…

I am not sure when he came in, and I could not see him well through my tears. Without a word, he took me in his arms and I wept as the child I was into his shoulder. He stroked my hair softly as I shook, and I think he might have cried to, because I felt him shaking slightly after awhile. I might have just been feeling my own shakes though…

Eventually I could cry no more, and Captain laid me back into the pillow. Without words, he pulled the covers over me and kissed my forehead softly, his beard tickling my face. He drew my vanity tables chair beside me and sat beside my bed, stroking my hair once more. I fell asleep soon after, and I dreamed dreams I know longer remember, but I like to think it was happy, and I imagine I saw Ishmael smiling within it…


	23. Chapter 23

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Ch. 23

I woke the next morning with my nose itching. I opened my eyes and saw Captain's head was next to mine, and that he still slept, hunched over from my chair onto my bed. His long beard had ended at my nose, and had been the source of my uncomfortable itch. I grinned as I watched Captain sleep, which was something I had not seen in a long while. Captain always seemed the type to never sleep, one who could go without for days on end. In fact, I had believed he did not sleep at all when I first boarded the Nautilus; it was nice to see him now, looking so unburdened.

Without thinking, I started to fiddle with the fastening on his turban. It was quite fun, and I did not stop until I noticed Captain was watching me. I quickly pulled away and blushed at being caught being so childish. He chuckled and sat up slowly, his back cracking as he did. I giggled and signed, _"What's wrong, elder?" _without thinking. I gasped in horror as soon as I realized what I had just said. Captain stared at me for a moment, before he actually laughed. A loud, free abandoned laugh, which only I was lucky enough to hear.

I laughed with him, and he stood, still chuckling. I sat up and my back cracked, which sent us both into another set of hysterics. I do not think I have laughed so hard in a long while. It took us a while to calm down, and when we did, we both were still smiling anyway. "I did not mean to fall asleep here, I'll have to go make sure the repairs are going smoothly," Captain told me, and I nodded. _"I'll go check on the men who were hurt,"_ I signed, and Captain nodded.

I slipped out of my nightgown as Captain shut the door behind him. I pulled on my salwar kurta outfit, and yawned loudly. My outfit was all white, to celebrate Ishmael's next step in his souls life. I pulled one of my older black outfits from the back of my drawer and ripped the bottom into a thick strip. I tied it on my right upper arm, and sighed. Two religions too respect, two very different ways to do so. On the one hand, I was supposed to mourn. On the other, I was supposed to celebrate…

Damn religions.

I think I will create my own, and I will be the leader. Marinaism. Yes, people will come from far and wide to worship our sacred…Tree stump. Our sacred animal shall be…the platypus. We will all be required to wear comfortable clothing, and fashion would be irrelevant. The whole world would convert so there would be no more religious wars and we could all live in peace and happiness.

I was still laughing at myself when I made it too the sick bay. I was surprised to find Henry already there, when Mina was not, too! The men were still sleeping, for the most part. Some were scratching at their eyes and looking grumpy behind Henry. I suppose he must have just checked them. I heard one groan slightly and he slipped back onto his cot, by the time I made it there, he was snoring. I giggled softly and Henry looked up in surprise. "Marina? What're you doing up so early?" he asked quietly, standing straight after checking Paras who had a bloody bandage on his left arm. I reached for my note, and he shook his head. "If you would use your signs, I've been studying and, well…" he looked away and coughed slightly. I grinned in confusion. _"How have you been studying?" _I asked in confusion once he had looked back at me. He smiled slightly, "Captain Nemo gave me the sheets he used to teach you."

I opened my mouth slightly in shock, and then smiled. He had understood! Someone who was not an evil bastard and had not known me since I was a child understood! I grinned wider_, "Thank you so much for learning Henry!"_ He grinned, "Of course. It isn't fair you have to change when no one else does." I stared at him in shock. I had never thought about it as though I was changing. Was having to write and rely on others to translate changing? I suppose, but to hear him say it. To know he cared that much about my comfort. I checked and saw the men were still asleep, before hugging him tightly around his middle. He gasped slightly and stumbled a bit, but that I expected. I eventually felt his hand on the back of my head, holding me softly. I smiled at his touch, and pulled away grinning brightly.

_"Thank you Henry!"_ He seemed taken aback by everything, and just nodded with a perplexed smile. It was enough though, and I was happy. _"I'll come check on them later, okay? Take care of them for me, alright?"_ He nodded and I waved as I walked away. I went through my rounds happily, and I only did them because they were not near the explosion and had not been affected much. It took me longer than usual, because I had to reattach a valve that had disappeared. By the time I was done, it was noon, and I rushed back to the sick bay.

The 'doctors' were absent, but the men were still resting. They welcomed me and I did my own examinations to make sure they were going to be okay. They had been well cared for, and I had no complaints. I chatted with them as I looked them over, and when all was well, I went to sit beside Maitreya. He was still asleep, and I wondered why when he was supposed to be okay. I stared at him, and eventually his eyelids started to quiver. That no good He was faking! With a frown, I poked him in his ribs as hard as I could. He yelped and jumped away from me, causing the other men to stare and laughed.

I crossed my arms as he muttered curses. He finally stopped long enough to ask why I had done it. I raised my eyebrow and frowned deeper. He rolled his eyes skyward and muttered again. I poked him once more and he grabbed my hand, "Okay, I get it," he said without letting go. I grinned and he sighed. "I have to go back to work tomorrow because my heads fine," he told me, and sighed again. I snickered and pulled my hand away to sign, _"Really? I'm afraid you've been misdiagnosed then, because there is no way you head's fine!"_ I signed, grinning.

"Oh, now I see how it is," he said nodding as he looked away. I laughed, only to gasp as he turned quickly and locked my head in his arm. I wiggled, squirmed, and fought, but I could not get out. "Not letting you go until you agree to marry me," he teased, and I shook my head violently, which hurt in his headlock. He shrugged and said, "Fine then," before driving his knuckles softly into my head. It still hurt, and I could feel my short hair tearing.

Ow, ow, ow, enough! I finally got sick of it, and I could hear the men laughing at me. I jammed my elbow sideways into his ribcage, and he gasped as he let me go. I grabbed my head to stop the burn, and glared at him as I stood up. The men were in hysterics as I glared and Maitreya hunched over with an irritated growl. I stomped away in annoyance, and the men jeered jokingly. "I'll take that as a 'yes,' then?" Maitreya called as I was about to leave the room, sounding raspy. I turned and signed, _"I'd rather marry a __shark!"_ The men laughed harder, and one said, "I don't think I wanna know how that would work!" My mouth dropped in horror of what he was insinuating, and my face burned. "Aww, look'it her blush!" someone said, which made it worse.

I turned on my heel and crashed into someone. I would have gone flying if it were not for the hands that steadied me. "What is going on here?" Henry asked looking at the hysterical men. He looked at me and his brows knit together, "What happened to you?" he asked, and I knew I must have looked a mess with my wild and tangled hair and my red face. I turned and glared at Maitreya, _"That's what happened,"_ I signed, before pointing at him with a frown. Maitreya just smirked and said, "Oi Jekyll, don't get so cozy with my fiancé!" My mouth dropped in shock. Never had he used such a horrible word, a word that would tie me to him, who would inherit Nautilus if its meaning ever came true. I shook my head violently, "How dare you call me that you impertinent pervert! I'll never marry, especially someone like you!" I signed, and my face must have been a sight, because the men no longer laughed. It was silent as I glared at Maitreya, and the air was thick. "Come now, Marina. I don't think he-"I turned on Henry, and he stopped as he looked at me. _"He's not the one I want to marry, and even if he was, I'd never give up Nautilus!"_ I signed, and then I ran.

Like the child I am I ran from the shock in his eyes. I ran from everything, and I ended up on the deck. With a heavy heart, I leaned against the rail and watched Captain directing repairs. I should be down there with him, but I could not bring myself to leave. I just looked past it all, to the sea beyond, and thought of nothing. I heard people coming up, Tom and Mina, Mr. Q. They settled themselves accordingly, I think they were afraid to disturb me. They probably all thought I was still fragile after…Last night, and I was, but not right now. Right now, everything was wrong. How could I have said such a mean thing to Maitreya, my best friend? How could I have told Henry such a secret? I hoped Henry did not understand those signs, I truly did. That would make things so much easier.

I sighed softly, and then my interest shifted as I heard Mina speak. It was wrong to eavesdrop, but it was not as if it was hard to hear… "Thank you," she said. "For what?" Tom asked. "Your fearlessness." There was a pause, and I could imagine them gazing at each other. "I've always been rather afraid to step into tomorrow," Mina told him. Another pause, and Tom said, "Tomorrow's where I live and breathe." I heard the laugh in her voice as she said, "Yes I see that." Tom seemed to change pace and said, "Hey, if, if my earlier intentions offended you in any way I, I'm sorry because-"he stopped suddenly, and I had to fight the urge not to turn and look. "I'm disappointed. I didn't think that Americans gave up so easily." Footsteps off the deck, and I had a hand pressed to my mouth to keep from giggling. She was interested in him! I was right! After awhile Tom's footsteps disappeared as well, and I turned. Mr. Q. had his hat on and I assumed he was asleep, so I grinned and giggled happily.

At least someone's love life was going well. If the looks I have seen Henry give Mina were true, this would just further depress him. Oh well, I was still happy for them. I would find a way to cheer Henry up. "It's not proper for a lady to eavesdrop, y'know," Mr. Q. was speaking from under his hat, and I frowned, stomping over and grabbing it off his head. He squinted from the light, and I grinned, waving his hat above him. "Also not proper to tease a man, but I guess you don't care much about that, do you _boy?"_ he asked as he sat up. I smirked at his tasteless joke and put his hat on my head, sticking my tongue out and crossing my arms. "Now that's just bloody rude," he told me, but there was a small smile, so I sat next to him and grinned in victory.

He shook his head, "You're quite crazy, did you know that? Never met a girl like you," he muttered, and he looked amused. I did a meaningless dance in my chair, which was just moving my arms back and forth in a silly way. He laughed at me and shook my head. I pulled out my note and wrote, "Well I've never met an old toad like you, either!" He read it and chuckled, "Well this old toad still has some jump in him, so don't get so cocky." I grinned, "I would be boring then!" He let out a sigh in disbelief and said, "There's no way you could be boring, Marina," while shaking his head.

I stopped then, had he just… He looked at me with a raised brow, "Now what's wrong with you?" I carefully wrote my note, "You used my name…" He frowned, "I did not boy!" I frowned at him and nodded my head in protest. "You just knocked your head in the explosion, go have the doctor look at it!" he told me. I half smiled, half frowned with my mouth open in protest. "Fine," I wrote, "But you're not getting your hat back!" I showed it too him, making sure I was far enough away. "Boy you better give my bloody hat back or I'll-"his threat was lost to the wind as I took off down the stairs laughing. I could hear him yelling for me to come back, but his voice held amusement.

That hat was my trophy for the day…


	24. Chapter 24

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Ch. 24

I woke up happily on day two of repairs. I dressed in another white outfit and retied my black band on my arm. Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I grinned as I grabbed Allen's hat and put it on my brushed hair. It was too big for me, and flopped oddly as I walked, but it was fun wearing it. I felt like an adventurer in it.

I hummed in my head through my rounds this morn, for my bad mood had all but dissipated from yesterday. After walking around the ship and helping Captain with repairs with Allen's hat on, the men seemed to forget all about my outburst and jostled me good-naturedly. They asked why I would steal his hat and other such things, and I would always tell them I was teaching the toad a lesson about manners. If he forgets them again, he can forget getting his hat back any time soon!

The few men I passed today laughed just as loudly as they had yesterday as I jumped around, making the hat bounce on my head. It was fun, and kept me entertained until I could head down to the engine room, where I was sure I could find something to do.

On my way down, I met Tom and Allen. Tom laughed when he saw me and said, "So it's true ya bested 'im for his hat?" I took a bow, and jumped back quickly as Allen snatched for his hat. He cursed under his breath as he straightened. I grinned and hopped about out of his reach, sticking out my tongue mockingly. Tom was laughing at our routine, and Allen muttered, "Shut up, boy."

Tom chuckled again and pulled something out of his pocket, I stopped dancing to look at it better, and saw it was a slip of paper. I raised my eyebrow at him as he held it out to me and took it tentatively. He laughed as I stared at it distrusting, but after the note I had given him, I could only assume the worst.

"Wanted to give it to ya yesterday but you were so outta it you didn't hear us." He said smiling. I coughed a bit to hide by blush and nodded. Allen chuckled at my unease and asked Tom, "What's this then?" Tom just grinned, "Just us cheering each other up."

I sent my eyes towards the sky and ended up looking at the roof of the hallway. I sighed and opened the note before I could give myself time to stop myself.

I should have stopped myself.

What Tom had written was so amazingly wonderful and touching, yet at the same time a horrible and cruel script. I felt my face heat and I am sure I looked awfully odd as I stood there staring at the note. If I could speak, I would have been yelling horrible things. As it was, signing to him would not do any good against one who did not understand.

"**I believe Jekyll has fallen for you."**

I could not look at him. With hunched shoulders and a fearful expression, I backed up and turned to run. The paper was crumbled in my hand, which was shaking. I was not sure if I was angry…Or incredibly happy that someone unbiased wrote that. Then again, he did tell Allen it was just to 'cheer each other up.'

"I think you failed, boy," I heard Allen muttering, and called out, "Marina, I mean it!" I turned on my heel, not bothering to hide my blush, and my finger (of peril) pointed at him. Unfortunately, it was shaking, and I knew I must look like an angry bull than a woman. Wishing I could yell, wishing he knew my signs, I eventually gave up and threw my hands into the air. I turned again and started to walk away.

Tom was laughing, and I heard him call, "Your welcome!" I stopped, and sighed. Returning the favor, telling the other what they wanted to hear. Is this what we really saw in each other, only hope that those much older than ourselves would care for us?

I grinned, and turned around. My left fist rested on my hip, and with my right hand, I made the 'thumbs up' sign and gave it to Tom with my arm outstretched. It was my only way of showing him. My good luck to both of us. The hope we would both keep to obtain the ones we cared for. I could only hope he would understand.

He seemed taken aback and frowned in confusion. It took him a moment, and then he smiled again. He understood, and he nodded his head and showed me the same thumbs up sign. We were grinning, Allen was confused, and that was how Henry walked in on us.

He stared at us with brows raised high. Tom and my hands dropped simultaneously, and my face fell in horror. Allen just shook his head, "I've been lost since they started, good luck," he said to Henry, and turned back the way he came with his head still shaking. I stared at Tom with wide eyes, and he grinned. My mouth fell, if he did what I think he wants to I would-

"Later Marina!" Tom laughed, before hurrying to follow Allen. Oh, the things I wish I could have screamed after him! I glared, and was so busy figuring out how to slip garlic in his food so Mina would not go near him, I did not hear Henry walk up next to me.

"Marina?" he asked softly, "Are you okay?" I flinched at his voice. Did he remember, would he ask? Had my statement been too obvious? Had he guessed? Was he coming to turn me down?

I became afraid, and I shook as I nodded my head slightly. I could not look at him, and I wondered if he noticed. He must have, because he gave a small sigh and stepped in front of me, forcing me to look at him. I did so unwillingly, knowing I was red in the face.

"I need to talk to you about yesterday," he said, and I shook harder. Oh Kali, he remembered. Quick, what can I hit him with, I will give him amnesia and he will not remember anything! There was nothing to hit him with in reach, and only after I realized that did I understand just how stupid I was being. It was not as though I ever thought that he could…Or that we…

I guess it really does not matter now, does it?

His hands were on my shoulders, and I looked at them confused. What was he doing? "Marina, I understand why you said what you said yesterday. By law, whomever you married would own all you inherit, but-"he trailed off, sighing. W-what was this? Why was he telling me he understood? Why would he need to understand unless…?!

"-You've really hurt the men, Marina."

…

…Ouch. So much for that.

I looked at Henry in confusion, too shocked to blush. What was he talking about? Maybe I might have hurt Maitreya, but I was planning to apologize today anyway. Why were the other men hurt? My confusion must have shown, because Henry smiled slightly and said, "Your words hurt them. Please go talk with them."

I stared at him, frowning slightly. I gave a small laugh, _"I don't talk, Henry. My 'words' aren't real."_ I signed to him, looking away. It was a nice gesture on his part, and I smiled slightly for it. He did not seem to have words, at least for a moment, because he finally said, "Your signs are your words, Marina, and they're just as powerful."

I looked at him in shock. I knew my signs were my words, but I did not think they were powerful. In fact, they were easy to toss aside just by looking away. Like they never happened, and my 'voice' did not exist. He smiled down at me, and I returned it. I nodded; I would go straight to the sick bay. He did not let me walk alone, we walked side by side, and I was content.

We were one corner away from the sick bay and he stopped. I did as well and looked at him. He smiled slightly and whispered, "Its best if you talk to them alone, they might not be so open if I'm there." I nodded reluctantly and started forward, only to stop again as I felt his hand holding the back of my top. I looked back and he smiled, "Don't worry, if it gets bad, I'll intervene," he promised. He let go of my shirt and winked! I smiled at the gesture and he nodded me forward. I did so giddily, with a goofy smile on my face.

It fell as soon as I walked into view. The men turned and glared at me. The men never seriously glared at me before, but I could sense no joke in their looks. The very air felt dense, and I involuntarily shuttered. "Where's Maitreya?" I asked in general, but no one answered. My brows knit together and I walked forward, hoping he would still be here.

He was, and I sighed in relief. I walked forward, and he looked at me. His glare was the worst, because he never ever glared at me. Not even the time I accidentally ran into him and we fell down the stairs. He had protected me, and broken his hand in the process. He had not glared even then, and it felt like a knife to the heart. He was my best friend, and I had truly hurt him.

"_Maitreya I'm really sorry about what I said yesterday_," I signed, aware of the men watching me. He just continued to glare at me, and I shrunk under his gaze. _"I mean it; I did not mean to say that. I never wanted anyone to know I-"_

"-Why bother apologizing? Aren't you afraid I'm going to steal Nautilus from you?" He asked, and I could almost taste the bitterness in his voice. I frowned in shock, my eyes wide. That is why he was upset, not because I said I would never marry? He just glared as I tried to process his words.

"You have some nerve to apologize like what you said was no big deal," he said. "Are you really just that stupid? Or do you really just not trust any of us at all? You're really not going to marry because you think your husband will take Nautilus?" He finally stopped. He was yelling, and panting hard, and I could not move. I just stood there, not knowing what to do. I deserved this, it was my fault he felt bad. It hurt though to hear him say things like that. I know I am stupid, he needs not say it!

He wasn't done, "Well?" he demanded, and I nodded my head softly. He seemed to explode then and there, and he was on his feet so quickly I gasped. He loomed over me, and he was so menacing I shook.

"Your nothing but a fool, aren't you Marina? What kind of shit is it that you really think any of us would ever sail under someone besides you? You must have cotton for brains if you really think that after Captain Nemo hands over everything to you, we'll really just let some man take it from you," he kept yelling, and I felt myself tearing. I was a fool, I agree with you, Maitreya. I deserve to be punished. He was done though with one last question, which he had already asked, "Are you really that stupid?" His voice was a whisper, and I lost it.

With a small sob, I nodded, and I felt his arms around me. I just stood there and cried. I could not speak the word 'sorry,' and my hands were held to my sides. I think they heard it though, because the thickness of the air thinned. I stood there and sobbed for what seemed like forever. Then, my tears dried, and I pushed away, scratching at my eyes.

Maitreya laughed softly, "Sorry Marina, no matter what, you're still just a girl, and you want to get married, right?" I nodded, and he grinned, "Great! When do you want the wedding?" My mouth dropped and I punched his arm. He laughed again, "Worth it." The men were laughing at him, and I shook my head, smiling.

I waved goodbye to the men, and headed towards where I had left Henry. I found him leaning against the wall, looking at the porthole intently. He was whispering to himself, and he looked vexed. He did not notice me until I touched his arm. He looked down in alarm, and then smiled. "You have true friends, Marina," he told me, and he seemed almost envious.

I could have told him I was his friend, and that the League was too. It just did not seem like it was enough though. So I smiled, and took his hand. His eyes were wide as I kissed it softly, and I grinned at his shocked face.

"M-Marina, I-"I shook my head, and he shut his mouth obligingly. I smiled, and carefully put his hand down beside him again. For a moment, he stood there, looking dumbstruck, confused, and happy in his understanding of my message. Then, without warning, I was in his arms.

He was shaking, and holding me very tightly. He was warm and secure, even if you would never guess it at first glance. Without hesitation, I wrapped my arms around his waist and held him just as tightly.

I made several decisions as I stood there:

One- I liked Henry's hugs better than any I had ever received before.

Two- I would hug him whenever I got the chance.

Three- I liked the scent of disinfectant mixed with sea air.

Four- It did not matter how he felt about me, I was going to stay by his side forever, even if it killed me.

And Five- I was hopelessly in love with Henry Jekyll.

Side Note:

Holy Crud XD 2000+ hits and 49 reviews!! I 3 you all!!

Sadly, I go to my dads this weekend and he checks my comp. so I probably wont have chapter 25 till Monday. Sorry!! I hope this ties you over


	25. Chapter 25

Ch

Ch. 25

Do you know the phrase, 'All good things must end?'

Well, it applied to this situation. It had taken all of a moment to make those five decisions, and if I could have, I would have lived in that moment forever. Though I knew time must pass, I could have been struck down and been happy that I lived that moment. I could have died in his arms, and I would have been grateful. However, the phrase came into play but a moment after my decisions had been made.

My eyes flew open as I was suddenly torn from his hold. He held me at arms length by my shoulder, and I stared at his panicked face in shock. His eyes were wide with some unspoken fear, and I had no idea what it could have been. Had I done something wrong, what was it? It was not as though we had not hugged before, and all I had done was try to assure him that we were true friends when he did not believe so, right?

"M-Marina I-"he was stuttering again, but he never stuttered with me! His eyes shot around wildly, as though looking for accusing eyes. Was this all about someone seeing us? True, we were hugging tighter than usual, but it could not be so horrible! Why were our hugs suddenly affecting him so badly? "M-Marina, I'm sorry! I-I'm sorry!" he said in a fierce whisper. Why was he sorry, what had he done?

"T-thank you!"

With wide eyes, I watched as he turned and disappeared, straight into the sick bay. W-what was going on? What had just happened?! I could hear the men asking about his flushed face, and his twitching unease. He answered, saying he heard Maitreya screaming and had panicked. Apparently, Maitreya's screaming was a shock to him…

I wrapped my arms around my waist in neck in self-pity. What a poor way to end such a life-changing hug. With a sour laugh, I started down the hall. I must be quite pathetic to have a hug be 'life-changing.' I felt Allen's hat slide down to cover my eyes. I guess it was a good thing I was watching the ground…

Before I knew it, I was walking along the rocky ground the ship had docked. I still could not figure out what I had done wrong, but I had figured out it would be best to apologize tonight. Apologies fix everything, right? Maybe we can hug again after I have! I grinned and lifted my head. Captain was only a few yards away, and I bound forward happily with the thought of another hug later tonight.

Captain gave a small smile as I stopped beside him. I grinned in return and he said, "The repairs are complete, we'll be heading out in a few minutes." I nodded in response and saw a small group of men coming towards us. They looked grim, and I looked at Captain curiously to get an explanation.

He looked grim as well, and I knit my brow in confusion. What was going on now? "Marina, go back in the ship and wait at the helm," he said, and it was a command. My confusion growing, I nodded and turned away heading back towards the ramp. At the top, I looked over my shoulder, then hid in the door to watch. I kept my eyes on the men, and gasped as they stood before Captain. In the middle of the small group of four was Samir, and in his hand was an urn.

Without a pause, I turned away and headed for the helm as I had been told. Curse my curiosity; I did not need to see the ashes of someone I loved being carried in a bland black urn. Why did I not listen like I was supposed too? I sighed at the thought. It was because I was wrong; there was no other way to describe it. I had been made wrong, like an engine thrown together with spare parts that just did not fit right. Yes, that was I, a broken engine that could not function right.

With that grim comparison lingering over me, I entered the helm with a gloomy outlook on life. Ordinarily, I would be on the deck when things seemed down. I could not do so now, or else ignore my Captain's direct order. I groaned quietly and sat next to the wheel for no real reason, banging the back of my head softly against the stand.

I had a headache when Captain finally walked in. The back of my head was sore long ago, but I had lacked the common sense to stop. It had seemed stopping the repetitive rhythm would make my head hurt worse as it settled.

It did indeed hurt to stop, which I only did so because Captain spoke my name. I imagine I felt my brain swishing still back and forth, as water in a cup would once you stop tipping it. The back of my head smarted, and I looked up at Captain with lidded eyes, for it was too bright to look with wide ones after keeping them closed so long.

He motioned for me to stand, and I did so carefully, as to not tip over from the swirls within my own head. I stood before him awkwardly as my head calmed, and he raised his eyebrow and without hesitation pressed behind my head where I had beaten upon it.

I gasped and pulled away from his touch, grabbing at my head. The sharp pain had rid me of the dullness, and I blinked at him in shock. I frowned as he gave a small grin, and it deepened as he chuckled. I felt myself pout as he pulled something out of his pocket.

"Marina, I have something for you," he said, and I stopped pouting quickly. The day we celebrate my day of birth was still a while off, why would he have something for me now? I looked at his clasped hand with curiosity. Captain held them out to me, and opened his hands.

A golden charm slid from his fingers, and the thick links of the necklace laced through them as he held it out for me to see. The charm was three-dimensional, in the shape of two whales; a mother and her calf, swimming side by side.

My eyes widened in shock as I saw the clasp. It was a twisting one, the kind that assures no leaking of precious things. Precious things like…

"His heart, Marina," Captain said quietly, and I choked on a sob. A piece of Ishmael's heart, burned to ashes, a bit captured in a portable urn. I cried as Captain clasp it, and held it tightly in my hands. Ishmael wanted to be spread on the sea, but he had always promised…

I did not care! He was not supposed to die; he was not supposed to leave me! I rubbed at my eyes quickly, silencing my sobs. Kali, I was supposed to be an heir. How could Captain count on me if I continued to cry?

"Marina, would you like to retire?" Captain asked me quietly, and I shook my head fiercely. I would prove myself!

For the next few hours, I worked tirelessly alongside Captain. I think my…'motivation' might have surprised the men, because they were giving me odd looks. Then again, I am sure my face was not that great either…

By the time Captain dismissed me, I was beyond weary. Dinner seemed like a chore, so I decided to skip it. Instead, I headed towards deck, for we were not to submerge until tomorrow. I sighed as I opened the door to the deck, hoping to watch the stars as soon as the sun set.

I shut the door behind me and leaned against it, shutting my eyes and sighing again. Grabbing my urn, I opened my eyes and gasped. Standing against the railing was none other than Henry.

I fought with myself, whether or not I should run or not. My rampage was ended when I heard, "Marina, will you come here for a moment?" I bounced uneasily, making a no doubt comic face, before bracing myself with a sigh and walking up to him.

I stood beside him, but did not look. We stood in silence for a long while, and he finally broke it. "I really am sorry," he whispered, and I knit my brow in confusion. There was his apology again, what was it for? "I'm ashamed to say I succumbed to temptation," he said, and I felt myself blush. T-Temptation?

"-It's just when you…well, I assume you were…"He stopped, and I held my breath. "You're the first friend I've had since fleeing to Paris. I'm afraid it overwhelmed me to know I finally…Well, that things were getting better."

The sun had set as he spoke, and the stars were starting to show. I had been staring at him in shock, and he finally brought his eyes back from the heavens and smiled at me. "Things will get better, and even more so once we stop M," He grinned, and I smiled back, nodding. Yes, things will get better. "The stars are pretty," he said, "They look like their encouraging us." He laughed slightly, and I tilted my head in confusion. "Forgive me; I fear I've become quite, sappy. Eh, Edward agrees," he said, and his face fell.

"Edward?" I asked. He gave a small smile, "Yes, that's what Hyde calls himself." I blinked, _"Edward Hyde?"_ I asked, and he nodded. _"Can he see me?"_ I asked, and he mimicked my nod. I grinned, _"Thank you very much for everything you've done, Edward Hyde!"_

Henry coughed, "Um, he um, says anytime, so long as you give him the same reward," Henry told me, and he blushed. I laughed and nodded, _"Of course."_ Henry gave a chuckle of disbelief, and I grinned_. "Edward does not scare me, Henry."_

He smiled, "I know, you're an amazing girl, Marina." I felt myself blush, and looked away quickly. The stars were out now, and I smiled at them. I could feel Henry's eyes on me, so I asked, "Why have you become sappy?"

He laughed slightly, "Oh, um…I thought, well, you being my first friend and all…" I looked at him curiously, he was gazing at the stars again, and I waited patiently. He finally looked at me and smiled, shutting his eyes as though to block my face from his gaze. "I was thinking you were a bit like my own personal star, Marina…"


	26. Chapter 26

Ch

Ch. 26

As I heard him, I think my heart stopped. I knew my face was red, and I became blissfully aware of just how close we were. Even more so when he started to lean forward. I gasped and realized I had not been breathing. Not that the knowledge helped me, because I stopped breathing when his forehead hit mine.

W-was he going to do what I thought he was?!

Everything crashed down as he started to giggle. Yes, he giggled. "You always blush around me! I still wonder why, and Hyde's no help. He thinks you're in love," he giggled again, and I gasped. Now that the wind was not blowing, I could smell the whisky on his breath. He was intoxicated!

He did not mean anything he said, for it was merely sweet nothings brought on by the alcohol! It was as though the gods were once again playing a cruel joke on me. Frowning, I watched as he tilted over, and his mouth landed on my shoulder. He mumbled something into it, but I could not hear him. I looked up at the stars and blinked, apparently I had tears in my eyes.

It was no time to be, but I ended up laughing anyway. How cruel, I got to enjoy being someone's star, their 'encouragement,' for all but a few moments. Is a few moments all I would ever be allowed, because it seemed all I was getting lately.

Sighing, I took his hand and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I did not know how he had stumbled to get up here, but I knew his coordination was gone by the way he leaned on me. I lead him back to his room, and it was silent. It was silent as I set him on the bed. It was silent as I coaxed him out of his jacket, and pulled off his shoes and socks. It was even silent as he lay down and smiled at me ever so silly. I had no energy to smile back, and so I did not try. If only he was not drunk, if only he had meant the things he said.

With another sigh, I turned and headed for the door. I heard him call my name, but I did not stop. I exited the room and started down the hall. I heard awkward pounding and turned in confusion as Henry stumbled through his door, holding onto the frame and panting. Wow, alcohol sure did odd things to you. I vowed never to touch it.

He looked around wildly, then saw me, and smiled. "Marina!" he stumbled forward and grabbed me around the shoulders, "I missed you!" he said, and I raised my eyebrows. I had been gone maybe a minute, at most. He laughed and I gasped as he picked me up!

He had me under my knees, and behind my back, and my eyes were wide with fear. What was he doing?! He carried me back into the bedroom, and I pushed him away from the walls as he tried to walk into them. He sat us down on the bed and held my waist when I tried to get away. No! This was wrong, he was drunk! What was he doing?!

I froze as he leaned his head on my shoulder. My face was red, and my eyes were wide. So close, all he had to do was lean up and we would be… I leaned back as far as I could, but apparently it disturbed him, because he raised his head and leaned forward.

"You're blushing again," he whispered, and my eyes widened. Another inch and he would… Half an inch… A quarter. The smell of whiskey was so strong, his eyes were lidded. He was smiling…

His head dropped, and I stayed frozen. He had landed in my lap, and I shook. I had almost lost my first kiss, of that I was certain. I looked down at Henry, and saw that he was sleeping, his breathing had evened out. I took a minute to settle my nerves, before gently slipping off his lap and pushing him softly onto his bed.

His head fell back and his mouth opened slightly. It was sad to think past his calm face, was a tormented man, with a beast inside him. I sighed and rolled my eyes. I shook my head, and leaned down to kiss his forehead softly. I pulled back, and he did not stir.

I sighed again and turned away. This time no pounding feet followed me. I slammed my bedroom door behind me and threw myself on my bed. It seemed as though fate was on my side for once, and I did not need a pillow when I screamed. What a useless day! What a useless life!

And worst of all, **Hyde** knew I was in love with Henry!

I woke up the next day angry. I did not want to meet the world, and I did not want to greet the sunrise! In fact, I turned over and ignored the world for at the very least an hour. I was useless anyway; the men and Captain could carry on without me. It is not as though I was actually apart of the league, despite what Henry had told me.

Finally, I threw the covers off me and changed, slinging my bad over my shoulder. Clutching the urn, I wished Ishmael were here for me to talk to. I was sure he had seen my feelings that day in Venice. If he were still here, he would know what to do.

I left my room feeling only depression, the anger was gone. I did my rounds avoiding everyone, and finally knowing I could not avoid it any longer, headed to find Captain. I found him in the library, and he smiled at me softly. "There you are," he said quietly, and shelved his book.

"Come," he told me, and lead me to the very deck where I had been lied to just last night. We were on the open ocean now, and everything was calm. Many of the crew had assembled, and I knit my brow in confusion.

There was Ishmael in his urn, and I gasped in shock. We were giving him back to the ocean. Now I knew why they were here, those here were closest to Ishmael. This was our final good-bye.

Time stilled as the ceremony was started. I think I mentally left, for I remember people talking and moving around, but I cannot remember any words that were spoken. I remember being lead forward, and suddenly there were ashes in my hand. I stared at them in horror, for I held what was left of Ishmael. I stumbled forward and hit the railing. My hand opened, and I watched the ashes fly. My shaking hand released all the ashes and I watched them numbly as they hit the sea.

Ishmael was free. I had let him go.

I felt tears fall as I stood against the railing. I think others might have released him as well, but I am not sure. All I know is that suddenly Captain was telling me he would be at the helm, and I was finally alone.

Only now, I did not want to be. I had willing freed Ishmael, and now I did not want the world to leave me. I sat silently against the railing and watched the never-changing ocean. At least one thing stayed consistent.

Somebody sat beside me, but I could not bring myself to look. I sat beside whomever for a long time, and they did not speak. It was comfortable though, and I did not wish to end it.

"Would you like to talk about it?" Henry asked, and I did not move. After last night, how could I? "Captain Nemo asked me to, 'doctor' you. I think you're making him anxious," he continued, and I blinked in response.

"Marina?" He asked, and I looked down at my feet. _"Do you drink, doctor?"_ I asked him. I think I surprised him, because it took him a moment to say, "I try to avoid it. Apparently I become a right sap, and then I wake up with no recollection of anything I did while intoxicated."

I looked at him so quickly he startled. He did not remember, then he did not remember our almost kiss! Well, that was a good thing, to say the least! I smiled at him warmly, and he startled again, _"I wish I could."_

He smiled brightly, "Really now? Don't you know it messes with you? And that you do things you never meant to?" He asked. I grinned, _"Will it make you speak the truth you don't want known?"_ I asked slyly. His grin faltered, "What you do varies, but it can."

I grinned and smiled. The truth, huh? Timid Henry Jekyll would never speak his feelings sober. What if he was the type to speak the truth when he drunk. What if that meant his sappy words were truth?

He stared at me awkwardly, "Marina?" I grinned at him, and he smiled back unsurely.

I think I will start slipping whiskey into his drink…


	27. Chapter 27

Ch

Ch. 27

Henry sat with me for a long time in silence. It was peaceful and comforting, and soon I felt myself falling. I fell into Henry's shoulder, and I made no attempt to move. Instead, I closed my eyes and rested against his warm arm, and he made no attempts to stop me. After a while, I knew I was starting to drift, when I felt myself being lifted. I lay in the warmth happily, and felt it walk me to my room that night.

I grabbed something as I was set on my bed, and when it was tugged, I gripped it tighter. I heard clattering, and something like a sigh. Then the thing in my hand was lax, and I pulled it closer to me. Then there was nothing…

"_**Are you lying with my daughter for a reason?"**_

"_**She won't let me go."**_

"_**I see…"**_

"_**No-!"**_

"…"

"_**I mean- you shouldn't wake her, it's been a hard day for her, right?"**_

"…_**Yes. Tell me doctor, were she to release you the moment I depart, would you leave as well?"**_

"…"

"_**I see…"**_

When I opened my eyes it was dark, but not the dark on night. Blinking in confusion, I tried to focus on what was blocking the light, and for that matter, what was around my neck? My sight adjusted and my eyes widened in surprise, for Henry was there!

His arm over my neck in an odd angle, his face close to mine. His breath heated my cheek, and I felt myself blushing. Why was he so close to me? Why did he stay with me, was he worried? As my hands clenched, I remembered.

"_**She won't let me go."**_

Without moving my head, I looked down at my hand, and saw his tie beside it. Had it been a dream? It must have been, not only had Captain called me his daughter, but also Henry had also not said he would leave. They were both the things of dreams. Dreams are not real, they did not happen.

With a silent sigh, I softly took the tie in my hand and squeezed. I will not let him go, I finally decided, and for who can tell how long, I watched him sleep. Even from this angle, I could see the darkness under his eyes had shrunk. Amazing what sleep could do for someone. If it was this easy to rid him of the darkness, did this mean he was not sleeping in his own room?

I made a note to chastise Edward later, and moved on to look at the rest of his face. A bumpy nose, thick eyebrows, a high hairline part, a big mouth, strong chin. He needed to shave, and it made me grin. His face was clear, his complexion solid. No red splotches on it, calm.

I had the sudden urge to touch him, and after a moment of fighting myself, I did so. Softly, just his cheek, nothing more than a brush. He smiled, and leaned into the touch. I grinned, and brushed my fingers along his cheekbone. His eyes suddenly opened, and my eyes widened in horror at being caught.

He looked up at me and smiled, "That tickles, you know." I smiled and slid my hand back to my chest quickly. With a yawn, Henry stood up. Well, he tried. He had to stop as his tie pulled taunt. He blinked in surprise, and chuckled, "You're going to have to let me go sometime, you know."

His chuckled stop short as I gripped it tighter. It was silent, and we stood still. His words seemed to have struck us both, for his eyes were wide. My hand shook as I clenched my fist around his tie. I did not want to let him go, even if it was just his tie. Did letting him go now mean I would have to let him go later? Was I keeping him hopeless…?

Without warning, I felt my eyes tear. I would not do it! I would not surrender him; I would not let him go! With an attempt at a playful smile, I shook my head. I could not tell him I would not without letting go, so I just smiled with closed eyes.

He did not laugh, or speak in fact. He merely sat back down. I opened my eyes and stared at him. He was staring at my hand, and he did not look up as he said, "Actually, I fear I'm still tired. I think I'll stay a bit longer…"

I smiled in relief, and nodded. He must have seen, because he leaned forward, and I lowered my hand with him as he lay forward. I lay next to him and closed my eyes, just enjoying his presence.

"When I'm with you, Edward always behaves…" Henry suddenly whispered, "I love these times..." I opened my eyes, and met his, and then I had to look away. There were things in his eyes I did not understand. I do not think I ever will, for they were more complex than any engine, and much more foreign. I could not understand, and I did not want to try, not right now. I just wanted him to stay near.

He sighed, and when I could bring myself to look again, I saw he was sleeping again. Edward must misbehave more than I though if he could sleep after that. Another thing to chastise him about, not that I could blame him. He must feel so alone. I know Henry regrets him, and Henry being the only one Edward can speak to…

Tormenting Henry must be the only way for Edward to get any attention at all. I am sure Henry would oust Edward had he the chance, and Edward must know that. What a sad life to live, being only able to speak with someone who hated you. I do not blame Edward for misbehaving…

I must have fallen asleep anyway, because when I awoke Henry was gone. His tie however, was still griped within my hand. I grinned and brought it to my mouth. I kissed it softly and breathed deeply. It smelled of disinfectant mixed with sea air. It smelled of Henry.

And best of all, I did not have to let him go after all!

My accessories were growing. Along with my sack from Ishmael, I had Allen's hat and Henry's tie. I think I was trying to get something from everyone. Perhaps I will take on of Mina's skirts, Tom's vest and Captain's steel-toed boots…

I laughed and moved through my rounds merrily. When I was done, I headed for the kitchen and snuck an apple from the cook's supplies when he was not looking. I hurried out and ate it as I walked around, trying to decide what I should do. Whether it be helping below or asking Captain to spar with me.

As I decided on asking Captain to spar with me, I saw someone I had never seen before. I looked at him in confusion as we walked towards each other. How was it possible that I did not know him? No new members had been added to the crew, how this man snuck onto the ship?

My confusion grew as he stopped a few steps before me. I stopped as well and looked at him with knit brows. He stood erect, his handsomely smooth face stern, his dark eyes clouded. His eyes…I knew them…

I gasped as I realized who he was. Serious and quiet Prabir, whom I cannot ever remember him not having a thick beard, which obscured his face so badly that only his eyes showed. What on earth had compelled him to shave his face smooth now?

One-half of his lips rose in a crooked smile, which seemed less than warm, "You look confused, dear Marina." I blinked, Prabir and I barely spoke, while I assume myself friends with all the crew few have earn the right to call me 'dear' to them. "Ah, I've done it again, have I? Confused you. I apologize; I'll try to do better from now on…"

My brow knit again, _"Now on?"_ The other half of his lips rose, and his crooked smile disappeared. "I'm ahead of myself, I apologize," he said, and stepped forward, a breaths width away from me. His hand rose and he grabbed a strand of my hair, "Such a shame. Oh well, at least I cut it before the engine it harmed you…"

My eyes widened in shock and I stepped back quickly, _**"You**__ cut my hair?"_ I asked. He frowned, "Well that was a stab in the heart. I do recall you would have died if I had not."

He sounded angry, and I did not blame him. I was so shocked, I had been very rude. "Forgive me, but I was never told who-"

"-And you just assume your hair cut itself?" He asked, and his crooked smirk returned. I felt myself color, and looked away, towards the corner. I could make a dash for it and be rid of this awkwardness. Did I really deserve his abuse because I had a moment of ignorance?

"You know most people say 'thank you,' and offer a favor in return," he informed me, looking smug. I frown in annoyance and nodded, leaning forward in a small bow. "My greatest thanks, if there is anything I can do to repay you-"

"-Well now that you offer it, there is something I would very much like you to do," he cut me off. I blinked and nodded, what a horribly sadistic man, for it was obvious my annoyance was giving him some perverse pleasure by his smile.

"So you agree?" he asked, and I nodded, wanting simply to get away from him. He grinned, "Good, then my request is that you marry me."

Time seemed to stop. Had he just proposed?

I shook my head in a jerking motion, to shocked to have proper motor skills. His frown returned, and he spit out, "You just agreed, did you not? Are you to tell me the heir of Captain Nemo does not stick to her word?"

I opened my eyes in shock. I did not agree, I did not know what he wanted! Yet…I did agree. Despite not knowing, I had agreed. What kind of fool was I besides the biggest? I was trapped; the men would think me no more than a scoundrel to refuse. My respect I would lose like a prostitute.

Trapped.

I felt my eyes water as I shook my head in objection. I could do nothing now. Tears fell as he took my chin and raised my head towards him. I glared in defiance. I would sooner be damned then let him steal my lips first kiss.

He did not try to kiss me though. He merely smiled, really smiled, so that his face lit and the clouds of his eyes left him to reveal his handsome face. "So it's decided, as soon as this business with the League is over, we shall be married!"

Side Note:

I am **so sorry** this took so long! School is the pits! Anyway, I know they'll be less frequent, but I'll try my best to keep them coming as fast as possible!

3 you all,

WitchWhoLovesHim


	28. Chapter 28

Ch

Ch. 28

My sob was lost as a feral groan of pain sounded from around the corner. I gasped and without hesitation, I pushed past Prabir and ran towards the sound. He was moaning, muttering to himself. I could hear him before I saw him, and I ignored Prabir's calls for me to return. There was no way I would stop running for him, because I was running to Henry.

He had fallen on one knee, crouched forward and holding his hand with one hand. The other was holding him up as he shook. "Edward…Stop…Please, enough!" He was muttering, that and the like over and over like mantra. What was Edward doing to him? Why would Edward attack Henry now?

I dropped in front of him on my knees. He jerked up and stared at me with wide eyes full of pain. He grabbed my arm and moaned my name in agony. Oh Kali, what can I do to help him. I could not think of anything, for I could not call out for Edward to stop, and Henry's eyes were cast to the floor, so my hands were useless.

There was nothing I could do to help him. I could not stop Edward from hurting him, and I felt helpless beside him. "Not my choice…! Her choice…! If it makes her happy…!" He was muttering again, and I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. Was it because of me? Was I the she, and the proposal what would make me happy?

I gasped in horror; the engagement was causing Edward to do this! Without thinking, I pulled Henry to my bosom and held him tightly. He shook, still muttering incoherently, and I held him tightly. If Prabir was lurking, I would not know, for all my senses all I could feel was Henry in my arms. Hear his mutters, smell his scent, feel his shakes.

I hushed him softly with my breath for a long time. Finally, his shakes stopped, and he stilled, silent except for his gasping breaths. I rocked him softly until his breathing calmed, and then we sat there.

The bliss of having him so close to me was shattered as someone cleared their throat, and I knew Prabir was still lurking. I picked my head up from where it rested in Henry's hair and glared at him. He merely sneered at me and spit out, "Are you quite _alright_, doctor?"

It took Henry a few moments to pull away, and his breathing was going ragged again. He was squinting, as though suffering a twinge of pain, and I could only imagine what horrors Edward was telling him. Indeed, his eyes seemed wild with inner rage. Was Edward trying to force his way out?

My eyes widened in horror and I yanked Henry's shoulders to face me. He stared at me in confusion, and I quickly signed, _"Edward, stop it!"_ Henry's eyes glazed, and suddenly he was blinking. He looked around shocked and confused, and finally he looked at me with a tilted head.

"'W-why should I?' he wants to know," Henry told me as he held his head in his hand. I blew a blast of air through my nose in hostility at Edward. _"Because if you keep causing Henry pain I will personally stab you with a rusty fork! In the eye!"_

Henry blinked in surprise, and then stuttered, "Y-you'll make the- the good doctor blind as well, then." I sputtered on air, for I had not thought of that. _"You'll stop or I'll…Or else!"_ I finally signed, and nodded my head firmly frustration.

Henry smiled softly, "He's laughing. Thank you Marina," he said as he stood shakily. I watched him anxiously and took his hand when he offered it in relief. I grinned at him before it dropped when I heard Prabir clear his throat again.

"I'm glad you're alright, doctor," he said as he stood before us. Henry's thanks were cut off as I was suddenly pulled away from his hand as Prabir pulled me into his arms, "But in the future I would prefer you restrain yourself from being so intimate with my fiancé."

I was so shocked I did not think to move. How dare he say something like that to Henry! Indeed, Henry held his head in a new pain and nodded awkwardly, "Of course," he mumbled, "Forgive me my folly. If you'll excuse me…" And he stumbled away as I watched in horror.

My wits did not return until Prabir tried to get me to walk. I was his puppet, wasn't I? He had turned me into his puppet! With a sneer, I shoved myself away from him and backed away. He looked at me startled, then the sneered back, "You should not treat your fiancé so, dear Marina,"

"_Stop calling me that you vile heathen_!" I snapped, glaring at him. He merely half-smiled and said, "Vile, am I? Well if you're so against marrying me, why not I help you tell the one you **do** want to marry?" I froze in horror; he would not dare, would he? I mean, it is not as though he knows…

"You seem surprised, dear Marina. Such a pity you grew up with men, for it has made you dull. Do you really believe you've hidden it?" he asked, and he seemed so confident I quaked. It took me a moment to respond, and what I signed was, _**"You're**__ a man!" _

He frowned, "Indeed, but if you think I'm blind like the others, you are wrong." He stood before me once more, and grasped a strand of hair, "Go help your friend, dear Marina, and give him back his tie. It's not right for a lady who's spoken for to wear the clothes of other men," he told me, and I glared. He was ordering me to do what he knew I was planning to do. Thus, it portrayed that he had power over me.

I slapped his hand away. Despite his quest for power, my need to check on Henry was stronger than my need to hurt Prabir. Henry might be hurt without a cure now, I could hurt Prabir any time I wanted. Without a second glance, I ran down the hall as fast as I could, and only stopped when I saw Henry leaning on the wall. He had not made it two halls away…

When I made it to his side, he was in no state to talk. He was there, but not present, and did not acknowledge me when I took his arm. He merely leaned against me, and we walked awkwardly to his room.

It was my turn to put him too bed again, and I did so carefully. He was not intoxicated this time, and I could not hope he would forget me doing something embarrassing. Like kissing his forehead, perhaps? In any case, Henry finally seemed to become coherent, and smiled up at me.

"Thank you, Marina," he whispered, and then his eyes went downcast. "You should hurry back to your fiancé. He's probably worried," he said softly, and he seemed to force himself to look up, and then smile. I felt my chest tighten, and my smile fell. I forced a nod as I saw his expression change. I did not want to see though, and turned before I could figure it out.

I made it to the door when he called my name, and I almost did not stop. Almost being the key word. For with hesitation I did, but I refused to look back at him. I did not hear him stand up, and I shrunk where I stood as I waited in anticipation.

"Do you love him, Marina?" he asked, and I cringed. How could I tell him no without Prabir seeing it as me crossing him and he tells Henry that I… Did it matter anymore? My feelings were useless now, were they not? I was trapped in a locked room, and there was no window to escape.

"Then you shouldn't marry him," he said, and I finally turned to him in confusion. I had not said yes or no, so why did he assume-not that he was not completely correct-that my answer was no? I gasped as I saw he was right in front of me.

"It would be horrible if you didn't marry for love," he told me softly as I stared at his chin, for I could not meet his eyes. All was silent as I watched his chin go from its pale complexion to a deep red. "I-I would very much dislike you marrying _that_ man…Hyde says!" He stuttered, and his hand rose to **touch his mouth.**

Sign one.

"_Hyde?"_ I asked him, and he sputtered at being caught, for he usually called Hyde, 'Edward' around me. "W-what, I can't be a bit flustered after his outburst earlier? Forgive me not feeling like using his first name!" he told me **defensively.**

Sign two.

"So Edward said he would dislike me marrying Prabir?" I asked again, and he **looked to the left** as he said, "He did."

Sign three. Henry was lying to me, and if it was not Edward saying those things, it had to be Henry. I grinned widely and threw my arms around his neck without hesitation. He had time only to gasp before I released him and waved goodbye. The shock on his face had me laughing as I sprinted down the halls. Henry did not want me to marry Prabir, which meant he did not want me claimed!

Therefore, I would not be. I would go to Prabir and force him not to tell. I would make him see reason and if not, threaten to toss his useless arse into the ocean for the sharks!

…

Well, maybe not that, but something else…What did it matter? I was not going to marry Prabir! I saw Maitreya heading towards me, and his sullen face startled me. My joy was swept away as he stared at me with hardened eyes and said, "I can't believe you're marrying Prabir!"

I stared with wide eyes, _"What are you talking about?!"_

"Don't act innocent! Prabir hasn't stopped bragging! He just asked Captain Nemo for his blessing, and he gave it, Marina!" Maitreya told me harshly. I froze in shock; Captain had given his blessing…

"I hope you're happy with him," Maitreya spit out as he brushed past me, and I could not stop him. I could not even stop my own anger, how could I quell his…?


	29. Chapter 29

Ch

Ch. 29

I found myself the object of interest to everyone I passed, and their whispers further fowled my temper as I stormed through the labyrinth of halls in search of my 'fiancé.' I shuddered at the thought, and glared at an innocent Uday. While I felt bad, I could not help it. I was in too poor a mood to apologize. I was on the hunt, and I would destroy my prey.

I found my prey cleverly hiding among the alpha hunter, Captain. I could only glare as I watched him smile at Captain as he spoke. What lies could he be weaving around Captains head? Either way, I needed to stop him, and I stormed in to do so.

He grinned when he saw me, and I snarled at him. He had me, for if I slipped up, he might very easily spill my secret in front of Captain. Not that Captain did not trust me, but I doubt very seriously that he would approve of such an older man such as Henry. Then again, he had approved the sleaze-ball Prabir, so who knows, he might embrace him…

Captain smiled at me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder, "You've chosen a good one, Marina," he assured me. I could have cried, and I think he saw it, for Prabir jumped in quickly. "I do believe she's yet to become comfortable with the idea that we'll be married soon. After all, she never planned too…" he slid in as a snake a struck and I looked at him in shock. How had he known that? Had the men really passed gossip along the ship about my fight with Maitreya? Hymp, and they say only women gossip.

Captain nodded good-naturedly at Prabir, "Yes. Marina, did you complete your rounds?" he asked, and I nodded to him, "Everything is fine." He smiled, "Good girl, come. The path is set, and you've yet to see it," he said, and ushered me away from Prabir. He pulled me in the Salon, which was currently empty, and motioned for me to sit. I did so willingly, grateful to be away from Prabir, and glad to be with Captain.

Captain did not bring me a map, but sat across from me and laced his fingers together, resting his chin on them. He watched me for a moment before saying, "Out with it, I know for a fact that man has not been courting you for years in secret, Marina, and I did not humor his lies for nothing, " He said without mirth, and I grinned. At least I was not the only one who found Prabir annoying. Even so, I could not tell Captain what was going on. If I were to do so, Prabir would tell my secret, and then where would I be? Locked in my room, lest I seek eternal torment by the crew. I shivered at the thought of their teasing and shuddered at my shame.

"Forgive me, Captain, but I cannot tell you the details," I apologized. Captain sighed and closed his eyes, "Can you at least tell me how long this game will last?" I gave him a small grin, and shrugged my shoulders truthfully. He sighed, and the conversation ended thus, and we moved on to other things. Looking over the charted course, speaking of the battle to come. For several hours, Prabir did not exist, and I was grateful for the time spent alone with Captain...

My joyful time with Captain ended as I followed him back to the helm. Apparently, Prabir had taken it upon himself to take up station at the helm. I sighed when I saw him, and Captain patted my shoulder. I grinned up at him happily, thankful for the silent encouragement, and turned to face Prabir.

I motioned for him to follow me, and I heard him plodding behind me as I lead him out of the helm. He followed close behind, and I frowned at his close proximity. What an arrogant man he was! How I wished to hurt him, but it would have to wait, just a bit longer…

I opened the door to the empty storage room and motioned for him to go in. He did so with a raised brow, and I rolled my eyes and glared at him. How dare that fool look as though he thought I could possibly ever do anything with his dirty self! I slammed the door behind me and leaned against it, angrily continuing my glare. He merely smirked, and said, "Marina dear, and I thought you hated me."

Without thinking, I spit at his feet. I did hate him, I hated him so much it hurt. In the darkened room, with his face contorted in disgust, I could very well have cut him up without care. However, that was not my plan.

My plan, which I had thought of while speaking earlier with Captain of weapons, was ingenious. How best to end the engagement and make the ship away of his trickery than by his own mouth? I smirked at his disgust, and stepped forward.

"I will not marry you," I signed, and left no room for question in my stance and face. His disgust evaporated into amusement. "Very well. You left Henry to rest in his room, did you not? I think I'll go have a chat with him then…" he grinned crookedly, and walked forward. Before he could pass, I grabbed the collar of his shirt and snarled. He merely smiled, "Did I not make it clear the first time? If you refuse to marry me, I'll tell everyone."

I let go of his collar and planted myself in front of the door. "You made it perfectly clear. However, we both know I'll never be happy with you." He grinned and chuckled, "Few marriages are about happiness. While it's unusual for you to be, together, we shall be a normal couple."

I shuddered at the thought, and shook my head. "I shall make everyday of you life torment," I warned, and he merely shrugged. "I shall make you a joke among the men, in more ways than one," he retaliated, and I bristled.

"Enough!" I signed angrily, "I have a bet for you! It's simple, and will end this for good," I signed to him. He tilted his head after a moment to show that he was listening. I took this as a good sign, and continued:

"We shall fight, one on one. Whatever weapon we choose is allowed. The first to know the others weapon from their hand wins."

The silence that followed was deafening. Was he considering? Not as though he could deny my offer, unless he was ready to become a joke among the men. In any case, he made a noise like, "hmmm," and asked, "So if you win, the engagement is off?"

I shook my head, "No. If I win, not only do you call off the engagement, but you tell Captain and the crew that you blackmailed me to make me agree." I told him.

"And what do I get? Hopefully _something_ of value," he said, and his crooked grin was back. I frowned, and it was my turn to be disgusted. "If you win, I become your wife, and I'll no longer hassle you about becoming so," I told him. Then I added, "You can't ask for more…"

He stared at me in silence, then grinned, and the grin truly scared me. The grin was that of those who had already won, and I could not understand how. "Deal. Tomorrow at noon," he told me, "Don't be late." I moved out of the way and watched him open the door before he disappeared from my sight. I looked around the half-lit room and sighed. Tomorrow, my fate would be set.

I would not lose…

Side Note:

Okay everyone I am so sorry that I've fallen so behind (I owe you all three chapters this week) but my life has been a bit horrible these past three weeks. I apologize, and hope you don't take it out on the story, because it was all my fault, and Marina and the others shouldn't be punished for it. Again, my apologies, I hope you enjoyed this chapter...


	30. Chapter 30

I spent most of the day hiding in my room

I spent most of the day hiding in my room. I had no desire to face the crew now that the 'secret' engagement was exposed. I do believe I worried Captain, for he sent a man to serve me food twice. I do not know whom, but I know that he knocked twice, and by the time I had opened the door, he was gone.

I quickly become agitated in my room turned prison. Hiding out in my room was my own choice, but by nightfall, I had begun to curse Prabir in my head. I called him everything I could think of, from silly to nancy boy to the worst of sailors' curses. In the end, I even ended up cursing him in different languages. Captain's native tongue, French, Latin, and the few Spanish and Asian I knew.

When I had exhausted myself of insults to curse Prabir with, I found myself pacing uneasily. I knew I could easily beat Prabir, but the wait to do so was killer. I found myself fidgeting with one project only to end it suddenly and start another a moment later. I could not focus on anything, and in the end, I stubbed my toe.

I slumped down to the ground and rubbed my sore toe. This was utterly useless! I could not continue to just sit here, and sleep was all but impossible with my mind racing in anticipation. With resolve, I decided to go and find Maitreya and speak with him. I know he was most upset with me for my supposed 'engagement,' I shuddered, but he would understand if I explained at least a little. It would not cause Prabir to take unnecessary actions if I told him a _little… _

I slipped off my shoes and slipped on my sole-less slippers, for I had no intentions of being heard. I opened and closed my door as silently as possible so as not to alert anyone walking nearby, and as quietly as I could, I slid down the halls. I hoped to get lucky and catch him as the shifts changed. Or perhaps on his way to the bathroom, I am not picky.

I suddenly heard a voice and froze. Oh Kali, it was Prabir! I quickly dived into the nearest conjoining hallway and pressed myself against the wall. If Kali was on my side, I would not be caught for I do not believe I could stand another of his superior looks.

It took several heart pounding moments of me pressed against the wall to realize the voices were not getting closer, but were in fact quite stationary. I cautiously pushed off the wall and took a few steps toward the cracked door where Prabir's voice came from, and heard Maitreya's voice as well!

What was going on? What reason could the man who was blackmailing me have for talking to the man who had wanted to marry me? It made no sense, and suddenly I was hoping that they were not arguing. More specifically, I hoped they were not arguing about me. I leaned closer to the door in fear. They actually did sound upset, and despite my conscious, I could not help listening:

"-Crazy! I've kept the charade up for years, and it's been enough! How could you suddenly-?" It was Maitreya, and he seemed to be trying not to scream as Prabir cut him off. "-Dong you see? If I marry her, the cover is set. There'll be no room for rumor and we can-"Prabir seemed exasperated as he tried to explain, and I felt myself growing cold as Maitreya cut him off, "-Can what? Continue our relationship as an affair because you blackmailed my best friend into marrying you to stop the rumor that you fancy men!"

I gasped in horror as Prabir quieted loudly, coving my own noise. Oh Kali! Prabir and Maitreya? I felt like ice had been injected into my veins as I stood there. Their betrayal cut deep. Maitreya had kept such an important thing from me. How could he? Did he believe I would turn him away from the Nautilus? How could he?

"I did it for us, Maitreya! So that when Marina is Captain she can protect us from the men who are less forgiving to our positions…" His voice trailed then, and then turned desperate. "For gods' sake Maitreya, do you think I've been enjoying this? It makes me sick what I'm doing to that poor girl. I'm keeping her from the one she loves. The exact same thing they do to us! I hurt her. Most unforgivably, I hurt you…" He trailed off again and my paralyzed body remained until I heard a moan.

Then I ran.

Slipping down the halls in my sole-less slippers, I ran until I could barely breathe, ignoring the few I passed and their stares. I must have looked sick. Sick, horrified, and betrayed. I was being used, and it was really, truly that simple.

Tomorrow, Prabir would fight with all his heart, because he believed that to be the only way to keep his secret safe. Maitreya would hate me whether I won or lost. For ruining what Prabir had sacrificed, or for marrying him.

This was cruel and unfair. How could I fight against someone with ammo such as his? If I lost…Not that I would…but if I did…

I would lose everything…

With the weight of such burdens blinding me, I did not even realize I had made it to the latter that lead to the deck. Not surprisingly, we were gliding about thirty feet out of the water, and I climbed the latter expectantly. I could see the stars, and maybe they would encourage me…

At night, the wind was even more brisk, the water colder and more surprising since you never could tell where it would attack. I walked slowly to the railing in front of me and leaned into the freezing metal, which numbed my arms almost instantly. I looked towards the sky expectantly, and frowned along with my disappointment. The sky was cloudy, and no stars shown through.

I gave a loud sigh, the closest to cursing I could get, and closed my eyes in defeat. Without thinking, I leaned down and pressed my forehead to the railing. After my first jolt from the cold, I relaxed and leaned fully against it. You hear people say it all the time, they say:

"I'd rather freeze than burn. Burning hurts, freezing is just like going to sleep."

I wanted to sleep there, cold and without problems. I was truly considering doing so, until-

"You'll catch cold if you stay like that," Henry warned me, and I smiled at his concern. He leaned against the railing beside me, and I could tell his gaze was on me. "Would you like to talk about it?" he asked, and I grinned. Standing upright I signed, _"Talk?" _and laughed softly as he colored slightly. He managed an embarrassed grin, "You know what I mean. Would you like to tell me about it?" he asked. I smiled fondly, but shook my head, for I could not burden him with something only I could solve.

He looked away, then at the ground as he fiddled with the hem of his vest. "Marina," he said softly, and I listened intently. He gave a small sigh, and then cleared his throat. Twice. "W-well, um, I just wanted to say…" he faltered, and I held my breath. "To say, well…" he failed again, and then seemed to suddenly give up. "I hope things work out for you," he said quietly, and seemed angry with himself. I sighed, and must have looked as crushed as I felt, because he made a small noise of shock and took me into his arms.

I knew it was a dream, a wish, but if he could only love me, and tell me so, the problems could resolve themselves. He did not though, and I had to be content with breathing deeply his scent, and holding him tightly.

I did not want to lose him. I wanted to be always by his side. To keep him, I would have to make things work out for myself, no matter what. Who cares if the sky was cloudy? Henry was all the encouragement I needed.

My own personal star…

Side Note:

SQUEE! I don't believe it! I made it to chapter 30!! Throws a party for everyone Thank you all so much, I couldn't have done it without your support and motivation! I hope you continue Marina's journey with her until the end! Thank you!

On another note, I hope everyone who hates Prabir (and I know that's most of you) can at least forgive him a little, he is, afterall, in a bad situation...

On another note, how awesome is it that Prabir and Maitreya's secret is set loose on the 30th chapter? lol Sorry, just thought it was cool...haha


	31. Chapter 31

Ch

Ch. 31

I made it to the storage room early and shoved the little forgotten things that littered the floor against the walls. My rounds were done and reported, and my daggers were properly sharpened. All affairs that would need me were taken care of, and now I only had to think of the fight.

Even that, however, became hard to do. Apparently, I had given too much time to preparations, and had a lot of time to spare. With a sigh, I sat on one of the tiny sealed boxes and pulled out one of my daggers. Fingering it lightly, I let my mind wander as I sat. Last night, Henry had held me for so long I had almost fallen into a most comfortable sleep. We began to sway, and jerked as we fell back. Henry had steadied us, and directed me to the chairs. He laid me against the longer one gently, and perched in a shorter one close by.

We did not speak after that, but sat together in a comfortable silence. The sea continued its roaring steadily though the waves as the Nautilus cut through the sea, and the wind whipped my hair across my face. I lay within my seat and enjoyed the mere presence of Henry, while he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. I wondered if Edward could still see me, but thought better than to disturb such a comfortable situation by asking.

We both fell asleep under the black sky, and when I woke, I found that Henry had fallen to the floor, with his head nestled in my lap. It did not even shock me to see his there, and I pet his hair softly. Absentmindedly I curled my fingers in his short hair as I stared out into the inky blackness that surrounded us.

Eventually, he stirred. I do believe he was too drowsy to comprehend the compromising position we were in, and so I made no attempt to enlighten him to the truth of the matter. I simply helped him to stand, and lead him to his room. He must have still been half-asleep, for he kissed my hand when we parted ways, and I retreated to my quarters with a grin…

The door to the storage room opened, and Prabir's ghastly form filled the doorway. He gave me one of his oh-so-charming half smiles and shut the door behind him. In his left hand, he held a wooden harpoon, and I winced at the site of it. Of course he would know I would use my daggers, no wonder he chose a long-range weapon.

He must have caught my wince, for his smile grew, and he stepped forward. "Afternoon, dear Marina. I hope you're well?" He said, as though we were good friends and this was a surprise meeting at a café. I bristled at his words, which only served to expand his smile.

"I have a few changes to make to our wager,' he told me, and he finally grinned fully. It seemed to be an omen of misfortune. For his whole being radiated unknown and unattainable knowledge. The knowledge that he would win.

With apprehension I sighed, "The agreement has already been agreed upon!" I signed to him irritably. He merely tilted his head in an amused fashion, "You forget dear, that I hold the ace in this game, and unless you want your secret revealed, we play my way." I could do nothing but glare, for he had me trapped, and he grinned and went on to explain his new terms in full:

"This time, we're not fighting to knock away each others weapons. We'll fight for exactly five minutes, and whoever has the most cuts at the end will ultimately lose," he finished his explanation with his signature half-grin, and I stared at him in shock.

"So it is a fight for blood," I signed, almost in disbelief. If one of us slipped, then the other might-

"-Almost. No serious injuries though. I have no wish to die by your means, or the crews, should I harm you too brutally," he told me, and I nodded. He _would_ be worried about his own hide, even if I would be the one to get hurt.

Hide, Hyde, ha ha.

No time for amusements! I chastised myself. "How will we know when time is up?" I asked, frowning at him. Did he expect me to keep count in my head? He grinned most menacingly and said, "About time you asked." He turned and opened the door to the storage room. "You can come in now," he said to someone I could not see.

I gasped in horror when I saw him.

Low. Lower than the dirt on the ground. How could he live with himself? How could he face the waking day?

Henry looked at me in confusion as I glared at the grinning Prabir. What a low down dirty trick! I continued to fume, even as Henry asked, 'whatever was the matter?' with me. Prabir gave a small laugh and said, "She was merely caught off guard, nothing else," he told him, lying a hand on his shoulder.

Knowing his disposition, I bristled at his touch on Henry's coat. Unknown to Prabir of my knowledge, he smirked in a superior way and said, "Don't worry dear, I've told him of our friendly wager. He knows it's just for fun, and he's agreed to time us."

Let me translate that: _"I've lied to him and given him a completely ridiculous and obscure motive for why an engaged couple would be fighting, which was plausible enough that he agreed to do this for us. I have not told him your secret yet, so do not fear. However, should you at any time slip up or displease me in anyway, do not think for one second that I will not tell Henry your secret!"_

I sighed in defeat. What could I possibly do with Henry standing right there and Prabir almost eager to tell my secret? I nodded and took my place at the far right side of the room. Leaning down quickly I pulled out my second dagger from my boot and did a few slashes for prep. Prabir had taken his place across from me and he grinned, holding his spear in a defensive position. Talk about unfair advantages. If he had not been using it against me, I would most probably have praised his brilliance. Long range against short range when the object was to cut your opponent.

I had underestimated him.

"When you're ready, doctor," Prabir said, looking over at Henry with a friendly grin. It made my blood boil, now that I knew he fancied men, this was becoming unbearable. Every move he made towards Henry seemed to be a play for him.

Henry had moved into the center of the room between us, leaning against the back wall beside the door. He pulled out his pocket watch from his vest pocket and clicked it open, looking awkward. He waited ten seconds before saying, "Ready…" Another five seconds and he said, "Go!" and we began.

It took Prabir but half a second to charge me, and I reacted without thinking, blocking instinctually. Time seemed irrelevant as he attacked. There was little time to do more than dodge as Prabir stabbed at me with his spear. He had always given me the impression of someone who would not want to dirty his hand with anything unrefined. Very stupid to think that, since he too worked below, but still. He seemed not the type to know how to fight.

He could.

Using quick, refined movements, he started to try to force me into the corner to the storage room. That I could not let happen, lest I become completely submitted to his mercy. With a sudden, thoughtless kick, I knocked his spear away, and suffered a cut on my calf. It stung as I fell forward, and with fear, I slash his arm, trying to push him back. I succeeded in making a small cut on his arm as he stumbled backwards. In this game, size was irrelevant, and even a small cut counted. This made us tied in this little game.

Prabir realized this, and steadied his spear as he steadied himself. He lunged forward and tried once again to force me back. I knew his plan this time, and managed to evade him. With quick wit, the like of which truly only comes to me during the time of a fight, I managed to make another slash on his thigh. He drew back in pain, and circled, trying to get around me. He was favoring his other leg, and I feared I had slashed to deep. The fear was short lasted though, as he started his assault once more.

The five minutes were drawing quickly to a close. With one cut up on him, my chances for victory were all but confirmed. Prabir seemed to realize this, and the panic became evident throughout his whole body. His eyes widened, his jaw clenched, and his body and moves had become ridged. In my peripheral vision, I could just make out Henry staring intently at his pocket watch, ready to call time.

The best plan was to stay away and avoid his spear until time was called. However, Prabir's desperation seemed to have peaked, and he suddenly spun his spear and whacked my right arm with the blunt end of the stick. Had I a voice, I would have cried out from the pain of the hit. My arm smarted as my dagger clattered to the floor.

What kind of cheap endeavor was this? Was Prabir so desperate that he had to resort to dirty tricks such as these? It mattered not now, since I had the use of but one of my daggers. My chances for victory had been severely lowered. Indeed, using the blunt edge of his spear, he shoved me to the ground, knocking the wind from my breast. I gasped for breath as my right arm lay numb by my side and the hand that held my dagger did so limply in my lap.

Prabir smirked and lowered his spear. I tried vainly to move away, still gasping for breath, and his stepped on the part of my shirt that was spread across the ground. I struggled to push him off, and suddenly he stabbed down and cut y still numb right arm. It was enough to shock me from my haze, and my senses finally awoken. I kicked his legs from under him, and he fell to the ground holding his spear to his chest. I launched on top of him, ready to make as many cuts as I could on his face. I raised my dagger, and brought it down-

"-Time!" Henry called loudly, halting my dagger a breaths length from his cringing face. I pulled away and sheathed my dagger in my boot, standing up and away from his once more ridged body. He opened his eyes, and for some reason, he smirked. I raised my eyebrow in question. We had tied, making this whole endeavor now pointless. He sat up easily, and turned towards Henry.

"Thank you for your time doctor, you have been most helpful in settling our little bet," he grinned. Turning to me he said, "Have I confused you again, Marina dear?" he asked with a sly grin. I glared at him, "We tied, Prabir. Why do you look as though you've won?" I asked crossly. His smirk widened, "Exactly as you've said, Marina. We've tied. Nothing has changed," he told me, and I frowned sadly.

He was right. This was all for not, and I was still to be married to him. With a sigh, I picked up my dagger, which lay on the ground and sheathed it. I could not look at Henry, not when I was going to do something so foul. I walked to Prabir, and held out my hand. He took with a victorious smirk, and I helped him to his feet.

I did not release him, and I pulled him with me. Past Henry, out of the storage room, and lead us straight to the helm. I did not look at Prabir as we walked, and I avoided looking at any of the crew we passed. When we made it into the helm, everyone there seemed to stop and stare. Captain stared at me intently, and I pulled Prabir right in front of him, letting his hand go.

"What is this?" Captain asked, and I nodded to Prabir to explain. He started, "Well I believe Marina wanted me to tell you that-"I took a few steps back, and Prabir did not notice. I turned and gave a small smile, for there was a metal vase sitting on the column beside me. I chanced a glance at Prabir, who was adamantly trying to engage Captain, in no doubt nonsense about my 'happiness' in our engagement.

I pulled the flowers out of the vase and picked up the vase. Laying the flowers on the column, I turned back to Prabir and Captain. "In fact, she says she wants to-"I raised the base over my head without hesitation and slammed it into the back of his head. He fell instantly and I let the dented vase fall with him.

"Marina!" Captain called out in alarm. Had the room not been staring before, they definitely were now, and I smiled at Captain's shocked face.

"We have things to discuss, Captain Nemo," I told him. Turning to Taran I signed, "Go fetch Maitreya, and bring him here quickly." He nodded and scurried off. Captain stared at me in confusion, the crew in apprehension.

I simply smiled. I felt lighter and freer than I had in a long while. I felt I had finally cut the strings that bound me.

It was time for the puppet to become the puppeteer…


	32. Chapter 32

Ch. 32

For the next five minutes, after denying the men the chance to check on Prabir's wound, I smiled absentmindedly at Prabir's face. It was the first time it was innocent, free of the secrets, guilt, and superiority that it usually held. Finally, it was truly handsome, despite the small trickle of blood that was now on the floor beneath his head. It was not life threatening, and so I sang in my head the mysterious song I remembered only from my past. It had a happy tune, and I felt sure it was a nursery rhyme of some kind. Unable to hum the tune to others, knowing not the words to write down, it seemed it would always be a mystery as to its origins. Indeed, its very purpose within my head.

Finally, looking confused and anxious, Maitreya hurried in. He noticed me first, and the confusion on his face grew as he saw my grinning face. I watched his eyes carefully, and I smiled wider and moved to the side as his eyes darted to Prabir's legs, which were the only part of him visible behind the table and myself. The room had gone silent, and Maitreya stared with glazed eyes as he bit the inside of his lip. I saw the small indent and the pain in his eyes, for he had noticed the blood beneath his lovers head. I felt a twinge of guilt, but it was necessary, after all, it had been he who had chosen not to trust in me. I would have understood, but he had just sat back and let it happen. I do not care if he was in an awkward position because of Prabir, I was his friend first. I had thought I was his _best_ friend.

Suddenly, Maitreya whipped his gaze to glare at me, and he was snarling like a wounded dog. "It was you, wasn't it?" He accused, "You were outside the door, you heard, and you did this on purpose! As punishment! Didn't you?" He attacked me verbally, but I was prepared, I knew it was inevitable. Maitreya ran on feelings, not his head. I simply nodded, just a little more, and I would not have to break my commitment to Prabir. It would disintegrate on its own, without just a little prodding. The nod was enough, and the small string of sanity left after seeing his lover injured, the small string that kept Maitreya in place snapped. He lunged forward and yanked me up by the front of my shirt, bringing my face a mere inch from his, my toes barely on the ground. He was panting menacingly, and seemed close to punching my nose through the back of my head.

The crew was ready to attack, scrambling towards us. Captain led them, reaching for his sword. I raised my hands quickly, surely. I knew what I was doing; they just needed to trust me a little longer I could handle things, I could save myself!

Captain froze, and the crew followed suit, gazing at Captain for guidance. I knew no one was fine with cutting down a friend, and I knew they were more than uneasy with this situation. It was tense, heavy atmosphere, and it only added to the intensity of the situation. In this atmosphere, Maitreya had ceased being angry, he was now a threat.

"You had no right." His voice shook, as did his body, and my feet left the ground entirely. My eyes widened, I had no right? Was he daft? I had every right! "You had no right!" he screamed, glaring daggers at me. His gaze fell to Prabir, and they softened. It was astounding how different it was when, a moment later, his hardened gaze pierced me. "Why would you physically harm him? What if he dies?" His grip tightened, "Selfish bitch."

My mouth dropped open in shock. Maitreya had just…How dare he? He was not going to die! I would never kill someone he loved. This was not working, I had planned for Maitreya to revel the blackmailing, and it had been going well…I was done with this tactic. It had gone too far.

With my right hand I pointed my fingers together like the head of a snake, and in a swift movement, I lifted my hand above his arm, down through them, and under his right. It broke his grip, and I grabbed his wrist, twisting his arm behind his back. I braced his left shoulder, yanked his arm, and shoved him too the ground. He grunted in pain, but I did not care.

I was done.

I was done being the puppet. I was done being lead around. I was through being a part of someone else's plan. I wanted my life back. I wanted to go back to when I was confident in everything I did. When I knew how things worked, and I could fix all the kinks if they did not.

I wanted my mom back. I wanted to be myself again, without feeling as though I needed to become more womanly. I wanted Henry to love me for me. I wanted mom to be there to cry at my wedding, and my child's birth. I wanted Captain to call me daughter, and give me away at my wedding, to Henry. I wanted Maitreya to regret his choice, to trust me. I did not want to be used. I wanted things back to the way they were!

I wanted my life back in my hands!

Without realizing it, I had strayed from the topic at hand. Every misery I had been put through since the league began, they all crashed over me. It was the worst time for it to happen, and before I could stop it, the pressure within me burst through my eyes and tears poured down my cheeks, dripping off my chin and landing on Maitreya's hair.

His squirming stopped, which was good, considering I had begun to shake. For tense moments, all was silent. It seemed as though everyone had ceased even to breath. Then, a whisper, which was barely even that:

"Maitreya?"

Maitreya's head jerked, and with joy in his voice he called, "Prabir!" Then struggled to get up. Prabir was squinting, sitting up slowly as he clutched his head. Maitreya squirmed, and I yanked his arm to stop him. He gave a sharp gasp of pain, and Prabir's eyes shot open. "Marina! Are you crazy? Let him go! If you don't I'll-"

I yanked Maitreya's arm again, and this time he whimpered, which instantly silenced Prabir. The table's had turned, and I was in control. It was cruel, but I had no choice, this was the only way now.

"M-Marina."

Maitreya was trying to look at me, his eyes turned toward me as much as he could get it.

"Marina, let me up."

I glared at him, and squeezed his wrist. He winced.

"Please Marina!" His voice had softened, "I'm not afraid of sharks."

His words struck me so badly I relaxed the grip I had on his wrist, and he took advantage of it. He pulled his arm down out of its painful position, and pushed himself up. I slid off his back in shock and stared up at him with wide eyes. What was he~?

He gave a sad smile, and his gaze fell between Prabir and I. He turned to Captain, who was watching the scene perplexed, and bowed until the top half of his body was level with the ground. Then he rose and stared Captain in the eyes, while Captain raised a brow at his behavior.

"Captain Nemo, I have been blackmailing Marina."

The uproar that overtook the room was monstrous. A usually timid Waman had to be held in place so that he would not harm Maitreya. Prabir let out a gasp like he had been stabbed. Captain raised the other brow, and then both fell into a scowl, "Indeed, and why did you feel the need to do so?"

Maitreya's mouth opened, and then shut. His eye's darted to Prabir before his head lowered. Then, to my surprise, Prabir stood. "Captain Nemo, Maitreya didn't blackmail Marina, I did." Maitreya's head shot to Prabir, "Prabir," he whispered sadly. Prabir no longer looked superior, he looked grim, set. Like he was taking on the devil himself.

He stepped beside Maitreya, and took his hand. Captain's shock grew as Prabir said, "I felt the need to do so, so that I might be able to secure a place in this ship, and perhaps win protection for Maitreya and Myself-"

The crew gasped simultaneously

"I deserve whatever punishment you give me…"

Suddenly, despite the gravity of this situation, everything seemed stupid. They seemed so…dramatic. Why would they give up so easily? Had they given up the fight to be together already? Or were they willing to die together already? This is what Maitreya meant. He was not afraid of the sharks, as I was. To die as shark bait. They wanted to die together.

I stood up behind them. The room had fallen silent as Captain stared at them. I looked at their backs, and couldn't help the small chuckle of disbelief that escaped me. They both shifted, and I raised my hand, shaking my head. I slapped the back of Maitreya's head first, and as he made a noise of pain, I slapped Prabir. He made a similar noise as my hand smarted, and they both turned toward me in confusion. All eyes were on me, and I shook my head again.

What was I doing?

"Sit!" I commanded them, and pointed to a spot on the floor. They blinked at me, and then glanced at each other. Slowly, unsurely, they sat, and I took their place in front of Captain. I could see the confusion in his eyes. Yet as I took my place in front of him, I saw something else, confidence. He believed in me, and I smiled.

"Captain Nemo, the day I became a women, you offered me the contracts of crew members so that I may learn to manage. I declined then, and have done the same every time you have asked me since. Now, I implore you to loan me the contracts of Prabir and Maitreya. I ask you excuse their actions, and let me deal with their punishment... And the punishment of _any_ who dare should start trouble with them."

That was it. I had made my proposition, and now it was up to Captain. He kept his gaze on my eyes for a long time, and I could see the gears turning in his mind. Finally, without a word, he turned and disappeared into the conjoining room. I stayed their, and clenched my hands to fist. If Captain did not agree…

The tension in the room only rose as Captain reentered the room, his hands behind his back in a signature state. I breathed harder as he stood before me, and I looked up at him anxiously. For all I knew, he could be holding a whip behind his back. My breathing became shallow as he regarded me.

Then, without a word, he brought out two rolls of paper and held them out to me.

I took them with shaking hands, and clutched them to my chest. I bowed until I was parallel with the ground, and stayed there as Captain spoke.

"This is your choice, Marina. However, it would be unwise to take it lightly."

I rose and nodded in understanding. He turned to the crew that was in the room, lost in their shock in confusion. "Attention!" Captain demanded, and they finally snapped to it. "All of you find replacements. It is your jobs to spread the word of this transaction. Let it be known should harm come to either of these men," he gestured to where the lovers sat on the floor, "They will deal directly with Marina, who I grant the use of whatever power she wishes. Go!" he ordered, and they scattered.

I smiled up at Captain, and he returned it. Without a thought, I threw my arms around his waist, and hugged him tightly. He returned it, and released me saying, "Go. You have men to take care of now."

I nodded and turned to them as Captain left the room. I glared at them, and they stood quickly, bowing before me. So they were mine now, huh? I shook my head at them when they stood.

"No one had to get married my way," I informed them sullenly, and Prabir blushed while Maitreya looked ashamed. I sighed, for I wanted to lecture at them, but felt it would ruin things. "Continue on normally, this doesn't change your duties." They nodded in their understanding. "Neither of you are to ever bring up this blackmailing again. Understand? I want no one to know the reason you were able to black mail me!" I glared, and they nodded again and I sighed, "Go. Celebrate, or something." I ordered them with a wave of my hand as I began to walk out of the room. I just did not care what they did now; I had something better to do…

* * *

I threw the door to the deck open and charged out. I all but flew to the railing and clutched it, smiling widely. I had done it! I had proven myself, their was no doubt about it. I had saved myself. I had proven myself, and now I had two men of my own crew, though I could hardly vouch for their trustworthiness any longer.

I sighed with a smile. Why bother with negative thoughts? I was free, by my own means, and no longer would I fall prey to being someone I am not. I would not allow it! Suddenly giddy, I pushed off from the rail and twirled around in joy. Free, free, free. What a joy!

I stopped suddenly, for Henry was staring at me with a bemused expression on his face, my pouch in his hand. "You left this in the storage room, Marina…Is everything alright?" I looked at him with a grin, for the news must not have reached him yet, and hurried forward. I took the bag from his hands and let it fall to the ground beside me. He stared at me in shock, for indeed it was the last thing Ishmael had given me. However, it was fine. Everything was fine.

"I did it Henry! I'm not getting married!" I signed in excitement. He stared at my hands in disbelief, then stuttered with a surprised grin to match mine stuttered, "W-what? How?" I shook my head smiling, and threw my arms around his neck in happiness. He wrapped his arms around my waist instantly.

"Congratulations Marina!" He told me with happiness in his voice, and I grinned, burying my face into the hollow between his shoulder and neck.

"Congratulations~"

Side Note:

Finally! The bloody Engagement Arch in over! *Cheers* We'll be back to the main story line next chapter! Thanks for being patient my lovelies~

love,

WWLH


	33. Chapter 33

Before you read, I have to tell you all that I AM SO VERY SORRY!!! My laptop broke and I had no other means of publishing! I am so sorry for how long this took, but I just got a replacement laptop, so it was the soonest I could get it up! I know a lot of you are probably angry, and I'm prepared to apologize to any who ask for it, but for now, I am so sorry everyone!!! I hope you do not take it out on Marina and her story for my blunder. Please continue to support her, even if you hate me!

Eventually the realization of the length of our embrace dawned on us. We pulled away with awkward smiles, and I quickly squatted to pick up my bag with a blush. Truly I was once again myself, for dropping my precious last gift from mom was indeed a very bold move.

Realizing this sent me into another round of jovial dances as I slung my bag carelessly over my shoulder to let it rest across my bosom. Henry shut the door and moved to lean against the rail. He watched me with a bemused smile, and laughed at my more outrageous moves. After an unusually loud laugh, I turned to him with a smirk and jumped forward. Taking his hands in mine I pulled him from the rail and forced him to twirl with me.

He stumbled as he tried to keep up with my fast pace without looking foolish. It was my turn to laugh as his cheeks darkened. He gave me a look of hopelessness and I slowed my twirls, not sparring him a last giggle. He gave a cross between a laugh and a sigh as he tottered sideways into the rail. I hustled to his side and smiled up at him as he steadied himself. He gave a small embarrassed grin and mumbled, "I was foolish to thing you would cease to make my head spin."

I grinned in pleasure, "I make your head spin?" I could not help but ask. His knuckles turned white as he clutched the rail, "Increasingly, though it accelerated these past few days." My smile faltered. Increasingly? I had assumed he spoke in jest, but what if it was actually a bad thing? He did seem quite ill from my game. I had not meant to harm him...

My expression must have fallen with my mood, for Henry gave a soft, "Oh," before quickly saying, "I meant nothing by it, Marina. Merely that you live a rather..._exciting_ life. Sometimes I fear I cannot truly keep up." He straightened his stance, and ceased to clasp the railing. "Forgive me, I lead a rather..._sheltered _life in France. In fact, being on the Nautilus is the first time I've been among people as... myself.

I felt two pains as he spoke. One for Henry and his plight. The other was for Edward and his life. For a moment, I wrung my hands together, then I looked into Henry's saddened eyes. Though opposites, they shared this one trait exactly, and I could look at both Henry and Edward through it. Edward did not want the life he lived, but he was resigned to his fate. Henry hated the life he lived, and the regret consumed him because he had caused it himself.

"Were you ever, _yourself_ in France?" I asked him slowly. He gave a joyless smile, "In body, yes. In the day, locked in a room, with many, many lights. " He gave a humorless laugh, "As I am now, never." His gaze left mine to stare out at the darkening water. "Being alone and being with others makes a big difference. I admit I'm rather terrified of what will happen once we defeat M. Even being back in England wouldn't change the fact that I would be alone once again. Will it be like France was?" He asked. He was not talking to me. Nor do I believe he was asking Edward. I believe he was asking himself, and only himself, if he could change things.

Standing there awkwardly, I tried in vain to think of something to change his darkened disposition. All I knew is that I wanted him to stay on the Nautilus, with me. It was a useless thought though, for I could not very well ask him to stay here...

Could I?

Willing to try anything to to disperse his gloom, I touched his hand softly. Slowly his gaze returned to me, and I smiled brightly. "You could always stay here with us till you're ready."

He stared at me intently, and something in his expression changed. I could not read it, but emotion wrung his voice as he said, "I doubt I'll ever be truly ready." It was said as a whisper, like he was telling me a secret. My grin grew less about cheering him, and more about the warmth that was filling my chest.

"Then you can stay forever."

Something sparked in his blue eyes, and as I stared, he began to fall forward. Unsure of what was wrong, fearing he was still unsteady from my game, I reached up and held his shoulders gently. What was he doing?

He froze in my hands, and I felt his warm breath suddenly on my cheeks, saw it mist in front of me. Had it gotten colder? I really could not tell, for Henry was warm in my hands.

"I think I would like that," he mumbled, and I watched his face blotch with red. He was blushing? I grinned at him most fiendishly for I noticed our proximity, and his face grew redder. "Uh, I-"

"-Marina?" Captain's voice sounded from the hallway beyond the closed door. Instantly, like a shot had been fired, we jumped from each other. "S-she's here, Captain Nemo!" Henry called, hiding in the shadows. I quickly felt my own face, and moved to the shadows as well, for the burning I felt no doubt caused a rather red face.

The door opened, and Captain stepped through it and smiled slightly, "Good evening Dr. Jekyll, Marina." I smiled and waved as Henry mumbled, "Evening." Captain stepped forward and said, "We are about to dive, unless you both wish for an unpleasant death, I suggest we all head inside."

Now that I was far from Henry's warmth, I noticed the brisk chill in the air. As my face cooled, goose-flesh rose on my arms and legs. Nodding quickly, I looked over at Henry before hurrying forward. Henry followed, and Captain locked the door behind us. "We shall be arriving at our destination tomorrow morning, I suggest you both head off to sleep."

It was both suggestion and command, and I nodded in understanding. "Sleep well Captain, sleep well Henry," I signed. With a smile I turned from them both and headed down the hall. "Good night, Captain Nemo," I heard Henry say before his quick steps followed. He matched my stride beside me, and we walked in silence until we had to part.

I stopped him, tugging on his sleeve to do so. "Don't forget my offer, alright?" I smiled up at him. He nodded, "I couldn't possibly. Sweet dreams, Marina" he smiled. I grinned widely in return, "And you the same Henry, Edward."

His smile fell, and I could not help but chuckle. His returned as he shook his head, "Night girl, don't worry bout tomorrow, I'll take care of 'em." I laughed fully and nodded, "A relief, I assure you," I teased. With a wave and a final grin at Henry I turned and headed for my room.

I dreamed of the sun.

When I awoke, my room was freezing, and I dressed myself as warmly as I could underneath my covers. When I could finally leave them, I wrapped my sari around my shoulders, put on Allen's hat and draped Henry's tie around my neck.

I jogged to the helm, my sack bouncing against my hip as I attempted to warm my body, and stood beside Captain at the wheel. Captain motioned for me to grab a hold of something, and I latched onto a pipe as the Nautilus began to rise. The ship shook as it fought to break through the ice. I held tight to the pipe and planted my feet, the few men in the room doing the same. The cracking ice fell into the water around the ship with large crashes, breaking more ice in the process. When at last the ship stopped, I released the pipe and hurried to Captain's side.

He looked down at me with somber eyes and said, "Round up the League, we have a journey ahead of us." I nodded and hustled to obey. Jogging down the corridors, I made it to the closest room and knocked on the door. After a few moments a shivering Tom opened the door.

I gave him an awkward (but what I hope was encouraging) smile. He tried in vain to give one of his characteristic huge grins through his chattering teeth. I quickly pulled out my note and quill/ink and scrawled, "We've arrived. Captain wants the League to meet at the helm."

I showed him my message and he muttered, "'K-kay." Felling bad for the warm-weather bred Southerner, I pulled off my sari and held it out to him. I did not understand how the boy could be so cold he chattered, but apparently it was possible despite his many layers. "N-nah, Marina. Thanks but-" I shoved it in his face, trying to stop his protest. He pushed it away and said, "Now lookie here, I ain't takin no girl's...wrap-thing! I-"

I shoved it into his chest so hard he had to grab it to get to his no-doubt throbbing chest. I quickly backed away and waved as I started to jog. I could hear him cursing behind me. He is such a stubborn boy!

I met Mina in the hall, looking much better adapted to the cold than Tom, and I showed her my note with a smile. She gave a small grinned as she read it and said, "I was on my way there now, thank you for the warning, however." She pat my shoulder as she walked by, and I started for my next member.

It took me three sets of knocks before the toad finally opened his door. He stared at me in frustration, before his gaze flickered to his hat. I quickly backed away so he could not attempt to grab it, and he grunted in frustration. "It's too bloody cold to fight ya now," he mumbled, "I take it we've arrived?" I nodded, and showed him my note, without a word he nodded and disappeared back into his room. I chuckled, for while he did not show it as Tom did, Allen must be freezing. He had been plucked from Africa, had he not?

As I headed eagerly for Henry's room Maitreya stepped into the hall from one of the connecting ones. Slowing my pace, I watched him consider going back the way he came, before turning to face me. When I was but a few feet away he all but whispered, "...Marina...." I stopped, and re-guarded him with care. Was I ready to speak with him, or should I give him the cold shoulder and make him earn my forgiveness?

Sighing to myself, I signed, "Have the men behaved?" He blinked twice, then nodded slowly, "Some tease, but the ones who disapprove ignore, so there have been no problems." I gave him what I hoped was an uncaring expression and asked, "Is the teasing in jest or no?" He quickly nodded this time, "Jest."

"Good," I signed, and we stood in an awkward silence that had never before happened between us. It was horrible, and saddening. It was like fate had betrayed us, we who had once been as close as siblings. Looking away, I began to walk past him. What else could I do? I feared I had lost my brother for good.

A few moments later footsteps tread softly behind me and I had little to wonder to figure out who they belong to. Stopping again, I turned and stared at Maitreya. "If you require something, tell me. Otherwise you should continue with your duties." The look Maitreya gave me then quite literally ripped my heart. Pain flooded his face, and it seemed to overflow to a dam behind his eyes. I had never in all the years I had known him ever seen him look so horribly defeated, and it killed me too know I was the cause of it.

"I..." He seemed lost for words, and his gaze fell to his shoe's. "You have every right to be angry, and I don't expect you to ever forgive me. I'm sorry. So very, very sorry for not stopping him. I love Prabir," he said, and the pure honesty in his voice scared me. "-And I acted foolishly because of it. I know leaving you alone would be best for you, but I can't do that-" he finally looked up at me. Tears were now running down his cheeks.

"I still love you too, Marina. "

Every act, every pretense, and every blockade I had assembled imploded, and the force sent tears bursting from my eyes as I stared at Maitreya. That no-good bastard had ruined my attempt to punish him. His honesty had destroyed my plot again. All reserves gone I rushed forward to embrace him, and for a moment I was a child again, hugging my teenage big brother.

Maitreya held me tightly and together we shook in the middle of the hall. For who knows how long we cried, and by the time someone cleared their throat beside us, we were basically soaked from each others tears. Pulling away from Maitreya I saw Prabir and Henry staring at us as though we were two headed monkeys. I bristled once again at seeing them so close to each other, and Maitreya hugged me closer.

"Are you two alright?"Henry asked slowly, unsure of the cause of our tears. I grinned and pulled away Maitreya, who walked over too Prabir (who no longer looked superior) and took his hand. Prabir, no doubt knowing the cause, greeted Maitreya quietly and smiled softly. I looked away and smiled at Henry, bringing my sleeve up to my face, I tried to scrub away the tears and snot quickly. "Marina!" Henry scowled, pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket. He stepped up to me and softly pulled away my arm as he began to scrub my face softly.

Taken aback, I stood still and let Henry wipe my face. Though I would never complain of his touch, I never thought he would be cleaning my face like I was an incapable child. Suddenly I heard Maitreya giggling, and I felt my face heat. Pulling away from Henry I glared at the two lovers as they tried to hide their laughter. Embarrassment fueled me as I tried to take command, "What are you two lazy dogs doing? Go help Captain collect supplies and gear up, you're both coming with the League!"

It was quite. Maitreya and Prabir stared at me as I tried to look menacing. Henry's hand flew to his mouth suddenly as he tried to sniffle a laugh, which sent Maitreya into hysterics and caused Prabir to chuckle (scary, I know). I looked up at Henry and my eyebrows rose at his betrayal. "I-I'm sorry, Marina! You were just so-" He faltered as his own laughter grew. Maitreya made to salute me, only to trip over himself and slam into Prabir. "R-Right away, Captain," Prabir snickered as he pulled Maitreya with him down the hall.

I watched them go defeat, hearing Henry trying to contain his laughter beside me not helping in the least. To try and rid myself of embarrassment I had only caused myself more. Could I not win? Apparently, considering Henry was now trying deep breathing to control himself. He cleared his throat and looked down at me with an apologetic smile, and I sighed grandly. "Was it that horrible?" I asked solemnly. He grinned widely and set his hand on my head, "Yes."

I raised my hands in defeat and motioned for him to follow as he chuckled. He most likely new from last night that we had arrived and so I felt no need to show him my note. We walked without conversation for the longest time. Finally, Henry said, "You know why we laughed, don't you?" I looked up at him and shrugged, not in the mood to guess. "It's because we're used to seeing you happy and in control. Seeing you trying to be forceful when you were so frustrated was, quite simply, adorable," he chuckled.

I felt myself flush at his words, and looked down the hall quickly. "I am sorry," he apologized, trying to make amends. I nodded, and managed to smile, but I could only imagine the torments Maitreya would have waiting when we got back. He would probably start trying to clean my face...

"Ah, Marina, I know this is a bad time but-" He took my shoulder and stopped us. I looked up at him in confusion, and blushed as I saw him bring out his handkerchief again. "I didn't get a chance to finish-" he said as he started to rub the cloth across my face. He was rubbing a lot, was I really such a mess? He folded the cloth and placed it in front of my mouth, "Lick," he commanded.

I gave him an impertinent stare before doing as instructed. After several more scrubs, he finally pulled the cloth from my face and smiled. "There," he said as he pocketed the handkerchief. I felt my face gingerly, and felt the heat. I really must have been a mess... "Clean as a whistle?" I asked humorlessly. He grinned, "Not even close. I did just clean your face with spit. You'll have to wash up properly when we get back," he told me. I stuck my tongue out at him and started the path to the helm once more. He followed along, for his hand was still on my shoulder.

As we walked it dropped, and I could feel his arm brushing against mine. I fought to control the urge to 'accidentally' bump his hand, and fend off a blush at the same time. With control only training had bought, I fought my urges, and we made it to the helm where the League was waiting. The room was also filled with no less than fifteen men, including Maitreya and Prabir. Maitreya had cast his sights on Tom, and seemed to be teasing him about my sari. Tom seemed to steam as he sat there next to a snickering Maitreya, when he saw me he stood up and crossed to me in near no time. His glare seemed weak, but it was there, and he all but ripped my sari off and shoved it into my face. I took it as he turned and crossed over to stand next to Mina. I looked down at my wrinkled sari and could not help but laugh.

"Now that we're all here," Captain stated as he looked over at Henry and I, "I must tell you all this will be a treacherous journey." He turned to his men, "There is a good chance you won't come back. With that in mind, you may choose to stay or come."

None of the men moved. Captain's eyes smiled, and I grinned as well. The crew was loyal and brave, I would be grateful to Captain a crew like them someday. Prabir's hand found Maitreya's, and I felt a pang of envy. Despite that, I could not help but be happy for them, and proud. I had help them stay together, I had helped allow them to be.

"Now that that's settled, come," he motioned to the League, "We shall equip ourselves for the climate..." Captain led us to the stairs to the deck, where several crew members had stacked supplies. On top of the packs were several white, floor length coats. Reaching the jackets first, I handed them out to the rest of the League as Captain climbed the ladder to the deck. Once the League had dawned their coats, they followed. I was about to, when I saw several binoculars on one of the packs. Grabbing three I awkwardly climbed up the ladder, and entered into the horrid cold.

I do indeed believe I hate the cold. I think I shall retire to a tropical island someday, if fact. Until then, I handed the binoculars over to the closest League members (Captain, Allen, and Mina) and stood beside Captain as my cheeks smartened. They looked at the frozen scene before us and Allen announced what the dark figures in the distance were. "Peasant settlements," he said, "Their all deserted."

"Why deserted?" Mina asked. "Fear, no doubt," Captain told her, bringing the binoculars up to his eyes. He handed them to me a few moments later and I stared through them at the snow covered wooded houses at the base of a large mountain. I pulled them down and looked up at Captain as he surveyed the scene. He finally looked down at me and instructed me to get the men quickly. They were to carry the packs of supplies up and then again once we were down on the frozen water. I was also to get the rope ladder.

Hurrying down I found that the men had indeed already set the packs on their backs, and I smiled at them for their brilliance. Inquiring about the ladder, Prabir opened Imam's pack and pulled it out. Imam tensed as he did, and only relaxed as Prabir moved over to me and handed me the tightly coiled ropes. I scolded Imam silently, and smiled at Prabir (who looked shocked). Motioning for the men to follow, we headed up the ladder one-by-one.

Captain took the ladder from me once I was up and securely tied it around the edge as I hid my hands in my sleeves. My breath formed in great puffs as I waited for the crew with supplies to go down first. For several minutes it lasted, and I hid behind the large opening to try and hide from the wind chill. No words passed as the crew descended, just as none passed as the League descended. Mina was let down first, then I, merely because Henry had noticed me hiding and pulled me from my retreat. I knew he was just being a gentleman, 'ladies first' and all that, but I am sure the fight I put up to stay in hiding annoyed him (not to mention Tom and Allen).

Once we were all on the ground, Waman handed Captain his white coat and turban, and there in the freezing snow he changed. As he did, the crew handed the rest of us our white gloves and head covers. They were uncomfortable, but at least they were warm, so we quickly pulled them on. Captain motioned for us to follow him, and silently we did. For several hours we trekked across the frozen iced land. If you became thirsty, you picked up snow and ate it. If you had to pee, well...Let's just say it was not pleasant. Though it hardly matters, I noticed Mina did not go either. I think we made a smart choice...

As we traveled through the driving snow, an small irk in my throat became a constant annoyance. It began when I started to breath through my mouth, for my nose was quite frozen, and worsened as we trekked through the white world. I tried to quench the pain by sucking on pieces of ice, yet even that seemed useless. Indeed, it almost made it hurt more. After several hours of a miserable walk, I finally walked with my hand in front of my face to block the cold from reaching my throat.

Though you could not tell the time by the sky, I was quite sure it was late noon by the time we passed between a crevice in the black mountain. With wide eyes I looked at the large black building beyond the mountain in shock. It spouted fire balls, and clouds of smoke, and I stared at the disgusting structure with disdain. So this was where the horrors were taking place. Somewhere in that building was us, the League, and that bastard Gray. His time was done, that was a sure thing. Whether Captain willed it or not.

Sliding along the base of the mountain, I heard Tom say, "M's summer retreat." I shook my head, and could not bring myself to smile at his joke. "This is where Skinner signaled he'd meet us, so we wait," Allen said, and I rolled my eyes. Wait _where, _old toad? In the driving snow?

Pain ripped through my shin as I tripped over a very large, very covered with snow rock. I ended up rolling in the freezing snow as a result of the rocks height. As I picked myself up I could just hear Captain and Henry calling my name, but it was almost covered by the wind, which I no longer felt. I had fallen into a cave, and despite the pain in my leg, I was rather glad to have done so. It actually seemed warmer without the wind.

Henry hurried inside and squat beside me, "Are you alright?" he asked. I nodded, yet winced as I pulled up my pant leg. I had a small scrape, but nothing hindering. The small pain in my throat was worse than that. Still, as Captain hustled in the crew and League, Henry held a piece of ice on it. The men set up camp, and started a small fire. They set fire to the few frozen sticks they found and spare cloth, which worked just as well.

Allen took up guard outside, sitting on the very rock which had led me to find the cave. Too cold to care about personal space, I sat right beside Henry to where our bodies touched and huddled inside my coat. For the longest time we waited, and the butterflies in my stomach for the battle to come raged. I am quite sure my mind was mostly on the battle, and that my shakes were only from the cold. However, the fear of what could happen might also be the cause of one. Henry's hand inconspicuously gripping mine where it lay between us could possibly be the cause of the other...


	34. Chapter 34

Ch. 34

_"What happened to your throat?"_

Surprisingly enough, (and to my displeasure as he removed his hand from mine) the question was asked in my signs. Not that I could blame Henry, for the silence that surrounded us was thick with anticipation. Breaking the silence seemed almost a crime, like the only sound allowed was the roaring wind past the caves open entrance. Still, though he seemed to be making an effort to be discrete, I do not believe he realized it might catch the others attention that we were speaking together silently. They might find it queer, and wonder at it. Then again, everyone seemed to have retreated within themselves as they prepared for the battle ahead.

Only as I moved to answer him did I realize my hand had been clasped around my throat. 'How long was I,' I wondered as I stared at my gloved palm vaguely. Not turning to look at Henry I signed, _"Nothing, it's just a bit sore..."_

Henry turned his head to me with a look that bordered between annoyance and disbelief, and the small rustle it caused seemed monstrously loud within the cave. I did not like this situation at all; it was always harder to get things done in silence. Noise was needed for distractions; silence was not the sneak's friend.

I smiled at Henry softly, hoping to quake his worries. If my throat was still sore when we returned to the ship, then I would seek his help. However to address such a minor detail in the overall mission would be a horrible error on my part. A selfish endeavor, if you will. In any case, I could not make my discontent known, it would be foolish.

Henry shook his head softly before leaning it back against the wall of the cave. I sat there, silently observing the others and secretly wishing for Henry to return his hand to its former position. The faces did not change, and my hand unfortunately remained held. As I watched Chandrahas' lip twitch every few moment, sudden, fiercely whispered voices came from the back of the cave.

"Maitreya, no!" I heard Prabir whisper as Maitreya appeared in the mouth of the connecting cavern. "Dr. Jekyll, please come look at Prabir's hand, I think he's gotten frostbite," Maitreya said, trying to hide the anxiety in his voice. Before Henry had even begun to stand I was up, and with a quick stride I passed a shocked looking Maitreya and hurried to Prabir's side.

As I kneeled beside a confused looking Prabir and took his right hand gently, I wondered vaguely what I was doing. Not even a full day had passed since Prabir was my most hated enemy, yet here I was worried about him. Was I insane, or merely did I forgive too easily? Perhaps it had something to do with being the new holder of his contract. The contract that bound him to me and me to him.

I held back a sour expression at the thought of being bound to Prabir, and examined his fingers closely. His pointer, middle, and ring were all discolored. Turning an ever deepening shade of purple, I fancied I even saw it change as I gently touched one.

Surrendering his hand to Henry as he kneeled beside me, I looked at Prabir and chastised him, _"Congratulation, you have frostbite! Why weren't you wearing gloves?"_

Prabir looked away like a scorn child and mumbled something incoherent. It was actually amusing to see how much had changed in such a short time. Less that a day ago he would have never let me 'speak' to him like that. I had to hold back my grin of pleasure at the fact.

Maitreya, who was hovering worriedly said, "Well-?" Henry let go of Prabir's hand and looked up at him, "It is frostbite. We need to stop it now or he'll lose those fingers." Prabir's eyes went wide as his head shot to look at Henry as he stood. "Maitreya," he instructed, "Cup your hands around Prabir's fingers and blow warm air on them."

Maitreya nodded and sat beside Prabir quickly, taking his hand in his. Henry looked at me as I stood up and said, "Help me find something to heat water in." I nodded and we began our search through the bags. Nothing seemed to me to be able to work, and I grew discouraged as I looked. If I could not even save Prabir's _fingers_, how could I defend a whole ship full of men?

Finally, I reached a bag with a small pot, which I can only _guess_ the rather vile use for. However, it was clean at the moment, and I grinned at my good luck. Giving it to a smiling Henry, we filled it with snow from just outside the cave (which Henry chivalrously went to retrieve. Henry held it over the fire until it became water. When it did, I preceded to hold it up as Henry stuck an exposed hand into the water, waiting for it to be, "Just above average body temperature," he told me.

When it was finally ready Henry took the pot from me and carried it to the back of the cave, for apparently this part was painful. The nerves would be 'coming back to life' so to speak, and would cause Prabir to suffer. Funny that yesterday, I would have enjoyed it. Now however, it merely made me have sympathy pains in my stomach, which ailed me enough to force me back to my seat.

I tried to block my ears to Prabir's stifled, abrupt noises of pain. The rest of the league and crew, whom had shown little interest after learning he would be okay, seemed only vaguely aware of his suffering.

A low, cautiously ruff voice growled, "Skinner?" from beyond the cave, and had my attention shooting for the door. I heard Allen cock his gun and my eyes widened. 'What's at our doorstep?' I wondered as I stood and moved beside Captain, who along with Mina was moving towards Allen. I stayed behind, at just beyond the lip of the cave as they ventured into the cold, not willing to infuriate my throat (which had dimmed to a dull ache) any further.

"We heard a noise," Mina told Allen in explanation as they joined him. "It was nothing," Allen said after a moment, not moving his head from its position facing towards the vast whiteness that surrounded us. Another moment passed until Captain said (with a certain knowing quality that bordered teasing and understanding), "Just an old tiger sensing his end?" I raised my eye at Captain's odd choice of words, and made a note to have him explain it later.

"Perhaps this was not his time to die after all," Allen said quietly, and it annoyed me further that I did not understand. I moment later there was a small thud and Mina gasped as she jumped away from her left. Suddenly I could see hovering snow before them, and I grinned in understanding. Skinner!

"I've been waiting all week to do that," his voice radiated with mischief. "Get a grip, man!" Allen said. A most horrible choice of words Skinner proved, when he said, "Well, I thought I just did."

Mina slapped him, sending the hovering snow cascading towards the right, or left I suppose, depending on where you stand. Skinner straightened quickly and drawled, "Ooh, Mina."

"Report!" Captain ordered, no doubt vexed by Skinner's less than responsible attitude.

"Well, hello to you too. And need I remind you, I am naked in the snow," he told them, making me remember one of my jobs. Clothing Skinner. As I hurried for his effects, I heard him say, "I can't feel any of my extremities, and I mean any of them."

The last statement made me laugh, and not just a small chuckle. My throat flared as I tried to control it and be silent at the same time. Bending down to gather his things, I heard his footsteps softly against the stone floor.

"Oi! Is laughin at a man any way to welcome someone who's spent several days learning that chicken scratch you call writing?"

Right. I had forgotten about that. I was supposed to be mad at him. Holding his things behind my back I glared at the snow-covered invisible man. "Oh come on now!" he said and I felt him tug at the jacket in my hand, "Punch me if ya like, just gimme the bloody jacket!"

I laughed again and handed him his things. I watched him quickly pull on and secure the jacket, giving a sigh as he did. His happiness over such a little thing made me laugh again, and I moved to check on Prabir before, "Get back 'ere!" Being pulled into a hug by now invisible hands.

"Missed ya too, Spitfire." I smiled and gave him a quick hug back before pulling away and punching his shoulder playfully. "Good job," Mina praised me as Skinner's sleeve rose to his shoulder (where I assume he rubbed where I had punched). I grinned at her and held thumbs up as Skinner pulled out his can of grease paint and began to apply it to his face.

When he was done Allen looked at him and said, "Well?" in an irritated voice as he dug through his bag.

"With all the suspicion on the ship, I knew you wouldn't believe I wasn't the spy." He began his explanation, and I saw the guilt in the others eyes. I frowned softly at his words as he said, "Well, I thought it was best to, disappear."

"So what are we dealing with?" Allen asked.

"The fortress is vast," Skinner told us, "Furnaces produce iron for making M's weapons of destruction." I tried to imagine what that would look like, but I had only vague memories of descriptions in books to help me. "They're pieced together on the factory floor by a private army of ruthless men who share his vision.

"But the worse was to come. In the dry dock, M's best minds pervert Nemo's dream."

My eyes widened in horror as Captain asked, "The _Nautilus?" _

"Nautili. There's eight for now," Skinner said, and I felt my blood boil at the thought of imitation Nautilus'.

"What about the kidnapped scientists?" Captain asked, obviously in more control than I was. Not that it was hard to imagine, Captain was the authority on control.

"M holds their families hostage. The men work, or the women and children die." My eyes widened in shock. I knew women were not taught to defend themselves in most of the world, but for them to become prisoners because of their feebleness was the most horrible thing I could think of.

"Monstrous," Captain said, shaking his head. His eyes met mine and I my brow knit together in understanding as Skinner said, "Well, that isn't the half of it."

'Could there be worse?' I wondered as he said, "The scientists are forced to work night and day to make new versions of us. Invisible spies, an army of Hydes, vampiric assassins, cryptographists. M leaves for Europe today with a sample case of the chemicals to sell to the most eager nation."

"I'll not let my evil infect the world," Henry said as he finished bandaging Prabir's hand.

"Do you think any of us feel differently?" Mina asked.

After a moment of silence Skinner told us, "Chimney pipes lace the buildings, and bombs in the furnaces would make quite a bang. But someone needs to blow that place to hell." He paused, "And I am least likely to be seen."

"Skinner I didn't know that you were such a barefaced liar-" Allen suddenly said. I looked at him with a raised eyebrow, had he gone mad? Skinner had been telling the truth the whole time!

"-All that time pretending that you weren't a here."

Oh. Hehe, oopsie.

"Well shut up, or I'll come to my senses," he said with mirth in his voice, "Well, besides. Any more like me, and I'll lose the franchise."

Suddenly Tom stood, cocking his gun with a look of intense anger on his face. "No," Allen told him, blocking him with his gun. "This cannot be a hunt to the death," he dropped his gun, "More's the pity. We must take M alive if his secrets are to be uncovered."

"Not Gray," Mina said, "He's lived long enough." I nodded in complete agreement as Tom grinned, "Oh, I'll handle him-"

"-No," Mina silenced him. Apparently _she_ would handle him. I did not care, so long as he _was_ handled. _Indefinitely._

Silence, in which Allen took over. "Nemo, you and Hyde free the prisoners," he said as I moved to stand beside them. "Sawyer and I will deal with M," he said, and looked at us all. He gave a slight nod and a slighter grin:

"Then the game is on."

End Note:

The fight begin's next chapter! I'm so excited, I can't wait!

Oh, and I have decided that the man who Henry has his hand in the movie (during Skinner's speech) is Prabir! Yay! Now we have a shadowy face to place Prabir with XD. I really hope that guy doesn't know someone who reads this. Haha, what if he has a daughter?

"Daddy, you're gay with Maitreya?!?!?!"

lol, just in case, I apologize ahead of time. Bwahaha


	35. Chapter 35

_Ch. 35_

It was time to go, and the men were scared. Not the visible scared you see on the faces of people in a panic, but the scared that people show only in their eyes. I was scared to, and had ceased to look into the League's eyes. I had been in fights before, but never anything like this. Never one so unpredictable and seemingly hopeless that I felt that there was a possibility that not even Captain could save me in a bind.

I did not like this one bit.

Why would my confidence abandon me now? It could not, it was not allowed! I needed to be the bravest I could possibly be and even more. I was the youngest, I was a girl.

I had to prove myself!

Swallowing deeply hurt, and I grabbed my throat and held it as I walked to Captain's side. Skinner stood before me, still in his heavy jacket. I looked at the back of his head quietly, tired of looking at the ground and not wanting to bring attention upon myself by looking at the ceiling.

Mina's red hair caught my eye as she moved across the room towards the mouth of the cave. Without thinking I opened my sack and pulled out Ishmael's precious last gift and my quill-with-ink and hurried over to her. She looked down at me as I quickly scrawled two simple words, underlined them, and turned it for her to read.

**No mercy.**

Mina stared at them for a much longer amount of time then required for reading them, and slowly her eyes met mine. She nodded, holding her gaze to mine. She said one word, and the assurance that she held in her voice was more than comforting.

"Never."

"Let's head out!" Allan said as he walked out of the cave's exit with his gun ready in his hands, Tom at his heels. I smiled softly as I watch Mina take off after them. My mother, my Ishmael would be avenged. Skinner, his head wrapped in a spare insulator and his grease paint gone went next. Apparently he wasn't willing to trek through the snow naked again until absolutely necessary. My smile grew as I heard him grumbling as he went.

Suddenly a white cloth was being passed over my nose and mouth. In a panic I reached backward and grabbed the hands holding the ends of the cloth and squeezed tightly. "Ow!" I heard Henry mutter in pain, and I quickly dropped my hands. After a moment he continued and tied it at the base of my neck. When he was done I turned to him and waited for an explanation.

He looked down at me and pointed to his own throat. Ah, he wanted me to protect my throat from the cold. He gave me a small smile and waited with me as the crew filed out. Maitreya and Prabir took a place at either side of me. I looked at the both of them with raised eyebrows, yet they just stared forward. Great, looks like they were taking their contracted obligations to a new level.

With my bodyguards and Henry in tow, feeling surprising more confident, I hurried to Captain's side and we began our forceful walk down the mountain path. The pain in my throat was considerably better thanks to the cloth, which captured my warm breath and held it there.

Hidden behind large boulders, we were getting ready. The blade from my right boot was in my hand, and I fingered it carefully as I waited for the others to be ready. Jackets were piled as they prepared to fight, and Henry's potion was in his hand. I watched him drink it, but had to look away as he changed. I had never asked if it hurt him, but I could imagine by his grunts that it did.

When the noises stopped, I opened my eyes and looked at Edward with a smile. "Welcome back," I told him, and he smirked back at me. "Forgetting something?" he asked with a smirk, making me snort a laugh. Setting my dagger on a small level area of the boulder, I took the three steps I needed too towards him and stood in front of him. I spread my arm wide and hugged him. Well, I tried to at least, my arms still only wrapped around his front side. It is the thought that counts, right?

His massive hand covered my head and back as he used one arm to hug me back. When he let go I did as well, and I heard Skinner huff. "Ya hugged him willingly enough," he grumbled, not yet out of his jacket. I grinned, was dear Skinner jealous? Oh, how I wish I could have teased him. However, considering he did not know my signs, the moment was lost. So instead, I stepped forward and hugged him tightly. "Tha's better," he told me as he hugged me back.

"Let us down, you big lunk!" I heard Maitreya gasp, and I pulled away as quickly as I could. Edward had taken Maitreya and Prabir by the front of their shirts and lifted them into the air. Prabir grabbed at Edwards large hand as he kicked and squirmed in his grasp.

"Or what, Nancy boy? You'll blackmail me into marryin' you?" Edward sneered. I felt myself blush as he said it, and I rushed forward and slapped his arm. "You're both lucky I ain't gonna-"

He ignored me and I smacked him again and again until he finally looked at me. "What?!" he asked in obvious displeasure, his arms flailing, sending the lovers into a whip-lashed state. "Edward, this is not the time!" Captain was at my side, speaking the words I could not. Prabir managed to convey a look that said quite clearly, 'only now isn't a good time? You'd let him do this if it were anytime else?!'

Edward glared at Captain, and I slapped his arm again for doing it. He glared at me then, and I glared back. After a moment Edward growled deep in his throat and rolled his eyes as he dropped Maitreya and Prabir into the snow. I hurried forward and grabbed Maitreya's arm quickly, pulling him up. He continued to do the same with Prabir as I turned to Edward and put my hands on my hips.

Edward snorted and wrapped his large hand around my upper body, pulling me close to him. "Stay with me," he muttered, not looking at me, and I stared up at him. Was he…blushing?

I could not understand it, but it gave me a warm feeling inside. Edward wanted to keep me safe, he did not want me to be hurt. I smiled up at him and nodded my head softly. He grunted again and started walking towards the edge of the rock. Grabbing my dagger off the ledge, I glanced behind me to see Prabir and Maitreya watching me warily, before hurrying to Edward's side.

"Is everyone ready?" Allan asked, and everyone nodded. "Yeah yeah can we get on wit' it?!" Skinner asked, once again naked. "Let's move," Allan said, and I took a deep breath.

'Here we go,' I thought, and we began our assault. As we approached the guard, I heard Skinner say, "Do you mind?" The guard groaned as he bent over his gun, only to have it ripped from his hand a moment later. The floating gun swung around and hit him twice, making him grunt as Skinner said, "Night-night."

Bats flew from behind us, and as I looked behind me I saw that Mina was gone. I heard another grunt and bang and turned in time to see the guard fly backwards into the packed snow. Another guard had seen the commotion and ran to his aid, only to gasp as Edward walked up behind him growling.

Edward made fast work of the guard, and I almost felt sorry for him as we headed past his crippled body. "Over here!" Skinner called, and beyond the pillar was a large black door. Edward reached up and pushed the heavy door open slowly. We assembled inside, and I saw the dynamite Kamlesh had transfer from his shoulder to float on the invisible shoulder of Skinner.

I gasped as Mina dropped from the sky in front of me. She smiled up at me and I gave her an amazed look back. Apparently she found a better entrance than the door. Edward led us down the hall until Skinner said, "Here," and tapped on another door. Edward pushed it open and charged through it. He stopped, and his head looked from side to side, before he moved out of our way and let us pass.

Captain and I followed; I pulled the cloth from my face and shoved it into my sack as Captain signaled for the men to inspect the deserted hall. The men (with raised guns) carefully followed his orders. Looking up and around the incredibly large room. It was filled with great statues I could not identify due to the erosion on them. The ceiling was curved, and had a large crack following the length of the room. I could only imagine what had caused it as I followed Captain to inspect the immediate right of the hall.

Eventually the League assembled by a large carving that looked like a stone casket of the ancients. Edward, after a look of debate, stuck his large left hand into the middle of the group. Fighting a smile, I set mine lightly on his. Mina's hand covered mine, and then the weight of Captain's on hers. Tom was next, followed by the weight of Skinner's invisible palm. Finally Allan set his on top, and after a moment he pat the group, and we disbanded.

Captain, Edward, the men and I turned and headed down the long hallway. Captain eventually took the lead and motion our direction by signals. Down the dark, morbid hallways we went, I flanked by the lovers, searching for the captured families of the scientists. After a few halls Edwards could not fit, and had to find another way through. He tapped my back and gave me a look that said, "Careful, "before taking off. After three more halls we turned a corner and met suddenly with two guards, whom Captain decommissioned with two solid sweeps of his arm.

We were close, and as we came to a cell beneath the floor Captain ordered, "Release them!" With the end of his gun Baadal broke the chains holding together the bars. "Quietly," Captain warned as Jai quickly leaned down and started pulling the chains off as hands raised up through the bars. Kadamb and Tahir grabbed the bars and lifted it as Captain ordered Ijay, Chaitan, and the twins, Aapt and Aalok to, "Get them back to the ship."

As the women, children, and a couple men rushed out they followed the four back the way we had come. As the last hurried past us, one of the guards must have awoken, for suddenly someone was yelling, "Intruders!" over and over again. Captain swore softly in Hindu and took of at a run down the hall.

We met Edward at an adjoining hall two halls later, and Captain slowed and turned into it so we could meet him. "We have trouble," he told Edward. "Trouble?" Edward asked, "I call it sport." I rolled my eyes as we turned and hurried back towards the hall which would take us to the still hostage scientists.

A door blocked our path, and Edward pushed it so hard it flew off its hinges, bounced off a column and landed against the wall. His hulking body bended to get through and we followed him in. Captain pulled out one of his guns and cocked it in anticipation. A moment later shots rang out as mad laughter filled the room. The men and Captain returned fire, and I watched in horror as some of the men fell. Without thinking I dropped my dagger and grabbed the extra gun Captain kept at his waist.

Cocking it, I aimed at the men at the top of the stairs and shot. I hated guns; I hated how they could make your arm numb from the backlash of the shot. I preferred my knives, but the satisfaction as I saw their own men fall was worth it. Bracing my arm, I shot again and again, yet the one with a gun that kept shooting without stop was in a giant suit of metal, and would not fall. He stayed standing even though my men fell. Anger consumed me, until the gun was empty, and then there was nothing.

Then Edward was there, with the massacred door in his hands, the bullets ricocheting off the metal and was sent flying back to their makers. "Nemo, get the scientists!" Edward shouted. Dropping Captain's gun, I reached down and grabbed my dagger as the others ran past the raining bullets, I heard him yell, "Is that all you've got?!" as I hastened to follow them.

By the time I made it to Captain's side in the 'lab,' men were in a panic. Captain was fighting off the minions in black, and I dropped down and pulled out my left dagger to assist. Guns went off, glass shattered, and I ran past Captain to go after the men holding the scientists. They were about as useful as most men with guns. Once I had knocked the guns from their hands, they became children playing solider.

It was rather pathetic how quickly they fell. A wrist break here, a sleeping grab there. They were not trained against pain. Their job was to intimidate, not to endure in a true battle. Yet they were persistent, and several used their size against me. One leapt on top of me, trying to pin me to the ground. He most likely thought I was still just a weak girl underneath it all.

He was wrong, and when I had slid my leg out from under him and wormed my way out, I stabbed him in the arm, and ripped my dagger down the length of it. He screamed in no doubt unexplainable agony as I jumped away from him. His cries summoned three more men, and I faced them all with a sneer.

Grabbing the gun of the first man, I pulled him forward diagonally. His equilibrium off balance, he fell, and as he did I kicked the gun out of his partner's hand. As I regained my balance I felt a searing pain in my left arm as I heard the gun of the third man go off, my dagger fell to the ground.

The bullet had just missed grazing, and had gone in just enough for the bullet to be completely covered by skin. It had fired at such a close range that the bullet had almost passed through. Only it had not, and the end was still in. I clenched my teeth tightly and grabbed the tip of the bullet. Ripping the bullet from my bloody arm, my silent scream went unnoticed. Dropping the bullet, I turned to the man who had shot me.

Glaring daggers at him, I kicked the fallen man before me in the ribs, feeling them shatter under the power of my assault. Using his back as a spring board I rammed into the gunman, digging my knife into his stomach. Pulling back, I ripped the dagger from his stomach as he yelled. Someone had my hair, and I dropped my dagger, reaching up to push the man's fist to my head. "What the-?!" he yelled as I grabbed his pinky and pulled it.

I felt the bone snap in his hand, and sent my fist into his nose as he tried to get away. He fell in a faint, and I dove for my daggers. Sheathing the first in my right boot, I picked the other up and held it before me. It was unneeded though, as the men and Captain had taken care of the rest of the men. Clenching my teeth to the pain in my arm, I bent again and wiped my dagger clean on the shirt of a fallen man. Then I stuck my dagger awkwardly into my left boot. Digging my hand into my sac, I pulled out the cloth Henry had given me and with my teeth, managed to tie it on my injured arm.

Hurrying to Captain's side, I stood by him as he directed the scientists. Edward must have joined us, for I could hear his voice saying, "keep moving! Go! Go over! Go! Quickly!" Then he stopped, and over the chaos I heard him roaring. Then he was gone and we were going, leading the scientists down the hall as we hurried to escape. I made it to the front, ready to defend them and clear the way.

That is, until I heard Edward calling for Captain.

Captain ran towards him without hesitation, and my eyes widened. Captain was gone, and Edward was in trouble. Henry! I started towards his calls, before I heard Maitreya shout, "Marina!"

I froze. The men were without a leader, it was my duty to take over and lead them. Yet Henry and Captain and Edward were in danger. My breath sped in indecision as panic filled my mind.

Oh Kali, what should I do…?

Side Note:

Hey everyone!

First off, consistancy error! Sorry, but there is no logical reason for Skinner to be invisible during the break in, only to become fully clothed and painted for the 'hands in,' only to become completely invisible again to lay the bombs. Sorry film makers, I understand why, but I'm not buying it. SO... Skinner stays invisible during the 'hand's in.'

...

Just in case anyone tries to say I'm not consistant with the movie, lol.

Second, I'm putting up a poll, so please vote pretty please ^^

XOXO,

WitchWhoLovesHim (Or 'Alius' for short ^_-)


	36. Chapter 36

Ch. 36

I heard gunshots, and I made my choice.

Charging towards the men I could not even spare a glance back towards where Captain had disappeared. 'They are strong,' I forced myself to think, 'Stronger than I, and I can take care of myself.'

Yells rang and in my panic I passed Maitreya who had begun running at the sound of the gunshots. I skid to a stop as I saw what had caused the rather small commotion within the rather large commotion around us. Vaanee was lying still on the black stone, several bullet holes leaked dark blood that pooled around him on the floor. A few yards away, several of M's men dressed in black were lying, dead as well.

I looked at the men who were lowering their guns and nodded in acceptance. They watched me now, in stead of Captain, and I felt a small weight of what it meant to be captain anchor in my gut. The crew looked to me now…

With resolve, I leaned down and pulled my dagger from my boot. I raised my arm, and signaled them the sign for 'forward.' With somber expressions they nodded, and without words followed my order. The scientists who had lagged in fear of the guns were rounded up, and ushered forward as I ran to take the lead. It was a slim chance that they would willingly follow a girl, yet no doubt they would have followed Satan himself if he promised to get them out.

Or perhaps the guns my men held scared them as much as the guns M's men had.

Either way, both men and scientists were eventually in my wake, following as a dog might his master. Or perhaps how a stray might follow anyone with food. No, not even that was right; the men behind me had a master, or were their own. I gave up the endeavor, their was no easy way to describe what had happened. Unless mayhap, it was merely the brief transfer of power.

The fear of the scientists, coupled with the anxiety of my men to be free of this place worked as great motivators through the winding labyrinth of halls. We met but one more set of guards, caught _off-_guard at the meeting of our crew, who were easy prey to the guns my men held. As the men took care of them, I continued to lead the scientists towards the exit.

They were less easy to work with now that the guns had ceased to lead them on. Some tried to break away, and unable to call them back, I had to backtrack to stop them. They yelled at me in German, and I silently snarled as I pointed them on with my dagger. After a few prominent points, they seemed to get the message, and started forward. I watched them run, and before following, my dagger in my last three fingers, I placed my thumb and pointer finger into my mouth and blew the highest whistle I could.

The noise pierced through the mild chaos that could be heard dimly through the walls, and when I heard my men yelling in Hindu, I finally took off to lead the scientists out. Now that my men were filling in behind our group, I felt more confident at the success of our mission.

We were but two halls from an exit when the explosives went off. The very ground beneath our feet shook as the walls begin to crumble. The men were yelling in Hindu, the scientists in German. Several were falling over the shifting rocks, and I did as well. I landed on my arm, and clenched my teeth in pain as my dagger slipped from my hand. Flipping to my right side, I forced myself to my knees before grasping my fallen dagger and forcing myself up.

Another of the explosives went off, and the already crumbling walls fell. There it was, the large room where we had first separated! The explosives had made the trip that much shorter, for the wall had fallen, and I could see the snow beyond an opening in the stone. Happiness filled me as I stared at it. Stumbling up I repeated my whistle, and watched the men scramble to push the scientists forward.

I left it to them, and climbed through the crumbling rocks to inspect just how good this short cut was. After maneuvering through the fallen rocks, I stood in the opening in the wall and grinned. It was there, the wicked, driving snow was there. All I needed was to reach out my fingertips to touch it.

Turning to the coming men, I quickly motioned for them to hurry before anything else could force something to go wrong. I watched the scientists scurrying through the hole with a sense of pride I watched the last go. I followed the men out and whistled to them to stop. The scientists froze as well, and so I let them stay there. Looking around I saw our group had dwindled down to fifteen, yet I had no time to sigh.

"_Phoolendu, Bali, Lahar, and Chane. Take the scientists to the ships, the rest of you come with me!" _I ordered. They stood there, and I glared. _"Now!" _

Finally they followed my orders, and as the scientists disappeared I led the rest of the men with me back into the room. We did not get far, as I heard bats shrieking and flying. I turned and there was Mina, standing from her crouched position. She was okay!

I hurried forward and hugged her quickly, and her transformation from the first time I met her was obvious. Unlike the stiffness of our handshake, she hugged me back quickly before saying, "Where's Captain Nemo?" Unable to respond I motion for Maitreya to come forward to translate: _"We were separated from him and Hyde, we were about to look for them." _

Mina looked vexed, and her brow nit together in some unknown worry. I looked at her in confusion before she said, "I found Skinner." I suddenly feared the worse, she 'found' him…

"He's been badly burned, I don't know…" She seemed at a loss, and I turned the men. _"Chintu, Aagam, Lomash, Lalam, go with Mina," _I told them. They stepped forward and I turned to Maitreya. _"Tell her to show them where he is."_ Back to the four, _"Carry him back here," _I ordered. They nodded and I turned to Mina, who Maitreya had just informed of my plan. She nodded and led the way out of the room, the men quickly following behind her.

I did not watch them go, but turned to Gadin, "_I need you to go and bring back jackets from behind the rock,"_ I told him, _"If Skinner's burned he cannot be exposed to the cold." _Gadin nodded, and without a word disappeared into the snow. I turned back to the men, only six left.

Biting my lip I motioned for them to follow me, and they did so without complaint. We were just barely in when we heard a gunshot. One, lone shot ring through the now silent halls. Freezing in place, I could only guess who that gunshot belonged too. One-shot Allan, who always hit his mark. I smiled, knowing that at least he was alright, before turning to my men.

What should I do now? Skinner and Mina were accounted for, yet Captain and Edward, and Tom and Allan were not. With only six men, who should I go after? My lip was starting to hurt, yet I could not cease chewing on it. "Marina?" Maitreya slowly asked me, as though afraid of my mental state.

His voice snapped me out of my indecisiveness, and I turned to them quickly. _"Maitreya, Prabir, you're coming with me. Janak, go help Gadin bring all the jackets.__The rest of you will find Tom and Allen and lead them back to the ship." _They looked at me, and for a moment they did not move. I believe they were questioning my clarity of mind, and I did not blame them. I felt torn between what I should do and what was needed, and though I should have gone back and waited for Mina and Skinner, I could not bring myself too.

"_When you get back Janak, wait for Mina and the others. We'll be back with Captain and the doctor soon…" _I told him, hoping to make up, to seem competent enough. Why did I tell them 'doctor?' Ha ha, so that I could try to make a reasonable cause for leaving. I could feel the disappointment in myself conquering whatever signals the men sent.

In any case, Janak nodded and turned to leave. Maitreya and Prabir walked to my side as the others headed in the direction Tom and Allan had disappeared in. I did not look at them as I turned and headed quickly back in the direction we had come from.

Maitreya and Prabir followed faithfully, but I could feel the looks they exchanged with each other. It was as though we were connected now, and I new of their reluctance. Captain and Edward had not come back yet, they had no way to know what had happened. For all they knew, they were gone.

I had no idea either, but I also had more riding on this. Every inch of my body was surging with some unknown power that made my mind race. As we reached where we had parted I could no longer restrain myself and took off running. I could hear the lovers pounding footsteps echoing in the now silent halls, mixing with my own. My heart beat our feet in pace, and I could hear it loudly head, beating against my ears.

We made it to a large chamber, and there were tell-tale signs of conflict. Though it was hard to tell the difference between battle and explosion, Prabir found a blood trail though, and went through the hole in the wall before me. As I scrambled in after him I heard his footsteps skid to a stop.

"Maitreya, get her away!" He all but shouted as he turned with a great flourish in attempt to block me. Maitreya, crawling in, moved to grab me but it was too late by then. I had charged forward, and though Prabir grabbed me, I still saw.

A pile of boulders. Curling at the base of the pile were blood pools, and soaked in it, were toes. Large, pink-tinted toes.

Toes that could only belong to Edward Hyde.

I felt my head spin. Edward was buried, and Captain was with Edward, and Edward was Henry. I could hear my name, but I did not care. I did not care at all. Nothing mattered now.

It was as though the world had crumbled around me, just as the walls had crumbled upon my father, my friend, my first love…


	37. Chapter 37

Ch. 37

I blinked through my headache, and then squinted as my mind seemed to retaliate with another painful wave. I blinked again as I realized Prabir was holding me. What in Earth or Sea had prompted him to hold _me? _

I slowly pushed away from his chest with a raised brow, hoping he would explain. He did not, instead he looked hopelessly passed me. My brows moved together, two footsteps behind me had me turning, before Maitreya's arms were around me.

Had these boys lost their minds? Were we not supposed to be looking for Captain and Henry? What was this, hug-a-Marina day?

I glared into Maitreya's chest until he began to slowly walk me in the direction we had come from. Sighing in annoyance, I pushed away from him and turned on them both. _"What is the matter with you two?"_ I asked crossly, _"We're supposed to be looking for our missing comrades, not __**cuddling!"**_

I turned on my heel crossly, ignoring their looks of shock. Did it really shock them so much that I did not want to be held? Hymph! Apparently, I _am_ too affectionate for my own good. Oh well, that is nothing I can fix now. Not that I would, I do enjoy hugging those I care for, but still…

I stopped, and turned again to the boys. They were at least twenty paces behind me, and I glared again. Stomping to them I signed, _"Get your thick heads out of the clouds and back to earth! We're going to back to wait for Skinner. If we haven't found them by now, they're probably waiting on us!" _I told them, my reason making sense to me. My Captain was amazing, and so were Edward and Henry. They together were unstoppable. I smiled as I turned, for Captain would most likely chastise me for being late!

I heard the boys walking slowly behind me, and rolled my eyes heavenward, leaving my annoyance at that. I could feel something between them, but I could not imagine what. Perhaps they were scared now? No, the danger was over, so that made no sense. They could have been scared for Captain…

I turned to them slowly, and gave a small smile. _"Captain is fine, you guys. Don't worry; you know he'll probably be waiting with Henry to chastise __**us**__ for being late, don't you?" _I smiled wider, hoping my grin would set them at ease. It had the opposite effect though, and the anguish on their face was undeniable.

Their worry made me worry, and without meaning to, I sped up my walk. We were getting close, and I could hear the men's frantic voices in a dull hum as we approached. Worry took over and I began running.

In the chamber, Mina hovered in a small circle as the men mulled around frantically. As I skid into the room, the men stopped and looked at me. I smelt it before I saw it. Burnt flesh that was fresh and close by. My eyes widened in fear when I saw him. I slowly moved towards his burnt body, and cringed as the others moved to allow me access to its full sight.

Most of his body was burnt, and for the first time without makeup or clothes, I could see Skinner as he was. I swallowed hard and leaned down beside him. The burnt flesh crinkled as he turned his face towards me, and I cringed. So burnt, his chances for recovery were slim. He would never be the same, even if he did live through the ordeal that faced him.

"Don't look so happy to see me, love," his voice shook and cracked. I could have cried, and I did. Only two, one from each eye, but the small release helped. "C'mon love, don' cry," Skinner's voice cracked again, then he sighed. He did not speak again, and I panicked. Gathering my hair so it would not touch him, I leaned over him and put my ear to his mouth, unwilling to harm him by touching his burnt chest.

His breath was shallow, but it was there, and I sighed in relief. Leaning back onto my legs I looked up at the others. _"Has Captain and Henry returned yet?"_ I asked frantically. They needed to return, Skinner needed help now!

Chintu answered in a panic, "You went to find them!" I shook my head and signed, _"We looked, but couldn't!" _The men's faces fell, and I felt their fear. Before I could comfort them, I heard Nalin give a yelp. I heard Maitreya say my name cautiously as I stood and rushed towards the sound, a few men behind me. I saw Tom and hurried forward, wrapping my arms around his torso quickly. He did not respond except to start. I pulled away, turned towards the men, and gasped in horror.

Nalin, Ojas, and Teerth were walking with their heads down. In their arms they supported Allan. I stared at his placid face in horror. He was not moving, he was not breathing. One-shot Allan, the grumpy old toad, was not breathing.

My mouth was dry, and I swallowed several times as the small group moved past me. Why did he have to die? Why did we have to loose him. He might have been annoying, but he was…

I managed to turn and watch the small group disappear. I swayed in my spot before forcing myself to stay still. Breathing deeply only seemed to worsen the situation, and caused my throat to ache.

He was suppose to live. He was suppose to continue to fight me for his hat. He was suppose to grow to like me. He was suppose to come back to visit.

He was suppose to be my grandfather…

I reached up and wiped my eyes of their tears. This was almost as bad as losing mother. No, it was just as bad, only it was bad in a different way.

I took a few moments to calm myself, then rubbing my eyes with my sleeve I headed back to the room where the crew waited. Janak and Gadin were back, and they were taking off the two jackets they had donned out in the snow. I walked over to them and pointed to Skinner. _"Be very careful when you're putting those on him," _I ordered, and they nodded in response.

Tom and Mina had pulled away from the group, and Tom looked in a daze. I realized I had not been paying much attention, but no doubt he and Allan had become close. I would have to ask about it later, when we were all safe in the ship.

I wished Captain and Henry would hurry. Perhaps they had gotten forced into a room and were stuck. I sighed, knowing if they were not back soon, I would have to bring in more men to search. I did not want to do that to the men, for I could tell they were now wary of this place, and wanted nothing to do with it.

I heard Skinner groan, and turned on Janak in anger. He looked at me apologetically, before continuing to work on dressing Skinner in a very dejected way. I watched them carefully, and when he was dressed, I clapped my hands together to get the men's attention.

Everyone looked at me now, even Mina and Tom were looking at me expectantly. That was a bit of a waste, since they did not know my signs, but it was all well. Besides, Tom was so gone I do not believe he even aware of what was going on.

"_Men, take Skinner and Allan back to the ship. Put Skinner in the infirmary and put Allan's body in the icebox…"_

The men stared at me without moving, and I crossed my arms in front of my chest. What did they think they were doing? I gave them an order and until Captain was back I was in charge.

Suddenly Maitreya was beside me, and I looked at him in confusion and he took my shoulders. "Follow your Captain's orders!" he demanded, and the crews eyes went wide. My head whipped around to stare at him in shock as he lied blatantly to the crew. They squirmed before two lifted Allan by the arms and legs and four took one end each of the tapestry Skinner lay on and hefted him up.

Mina took the hint, and lead Tom after the crew as they disappeared into the white world that made my throat ache. When I could no longer see their darkened outlines I shoved away from Maitreya in fury.

"_How dare you lie to them!" _I fumed, _"I am no more Captain than you! Be grateful I will not tell Captain of what you have done you… __**Blackguard!"**_

Maitreya stepped forward and grabbed my shoulders tightly. "Snap out of it, Marina! Hyde is dead! _Captain_ was with _Hyde! _**Captain is dead!"**

I stared at him in shock. W-what was he-

'Oh Kali,' I thought. The toe. The toe under the rocks was Hyde's. My body convulsed as I lost feeling in my legs. Had Maitreya not been holding me up, I would have fallen to the ground. Captain was dead. Edward was dead. Henry was dead.

My head whirled as I remembered. Kali, my mind had blocked this. It had blocked this for a reason. The pain I felt was overwhelming, and I could have screamed in agony.

Maitreya had lowered me to the ground and cradled me as you would a child. I could hear my sobs as I latched onto the front of his shirt like a helpless infant.

Captain. Henry. Edward. Allan. Captain. Henry.

Kali, why?

"Maitreya," I heard Prabir through my grief. I heard Maitreya mumble something before shifting. "C'mon Marina, time to go," he whispered, pulling me to my feet. "We can't stay here."

I complied, but not willingly. Prabir took to my right and help lead me out of the building. I felt nothing, not even my throat's protest. It was nothing compared to the pain which could not be healed by one of Captain's unpleasant remedies.

I wanted to faint, to die, anything to stop the pain of existing.

Then I heard it.

A faint whistle.

The same signal that I had been taught long ago.

I dug my feet into the snow and wrenched myself from their grasps. I turned in a wide-eyed wonder. Could it be-?

I shoved past the lovers before they could stop me. As I ran I saw it. Hardly, then more clearly. A dark outline. With new tears in my eyes I charged to the figure, and without a care I flung myself at Captain.

Obviously he not expecting it. Captain tripped backwards, and a cloud of snow covered us as we landed together in the snow. Without thinking I kissed his hair covered cheeks over and over as he fumbled in the snow, my arms as tight as I could make them around his neck.

He sputtered for a moment before stuttering, "W-what's come over you, Marina?" I was in no position to answer, and so I did not try. Instead I buried my face into his chest and wept.

"I do believe she's relieved to see you, Captain Nemo," An amused voice chuckled nearby, not quite hiding the fact that his teeth chattered. In shock, I lifted my tear-soaked eyes from Captain's wet chest and blinked, trying to focus on the man before me. I shook my head, for it was impossible. I had seen-

What did it matter?

As Captain sat up I tripped to my feet and launched myself into Henry's chest. He did not trip backwards thankfully, and I do not believe I have ever clung to anyone so tightly. His arms crept across my back, and I heard him mutter something like, " Marina warm," as he did. I had laughed softly through my tears.

"Dare I ask what happened?" I heard Captain ask, and though I had no intention of answering now, I did not have too. "She thought you both dead, we saw-_thought- _we saw Hyde buried under boulders…" Prabir answered Captain. "Ah," Captain muttered. I heard crunching snow before he said, "Marina?"

I slowly removed one arm from Henry and reached blindly for Captain. I felt his hand take mine, and I pulled him until I had his waist. I sniffled in happiness as I held both men in my arms.

Then I blinked as I realized what I was doing.

Without thinking I dropped both arms and jumped back in a panic, looking around wildly for anyone who could mock me for my actions. Quickly rubbing the tears from my eyes I looked at Captain and Henry with blurry eyes and signed, _"I'm glad we've found you, shall we-?" _I asked.

I felt their stares as I hurried past them. I knew happiness, and that was it, but it did not mean I had too…

I slowed and nodded for Prabir and Maitreya to pass me. As Captain and Henry fell into step beside me, I reached out and took Captain's hand. He smiled down at me and gripped my cupped hand.

I could hear poor Henry's teeth chatter, and I felt bad I had told the men to leave with the jackets. Hopefully they had left some at the rock for our use. With a quick glance to make sure Captain was looking ahead, I gingerly reached my hand out and bumped it against Henry's.

With my face forward, I smiled softly as Henry laced his fingers in mine…


	38. Chapter 38

Ch. 38

The trip back to the ship was…sickening.

We lost three children, a man and two women. After we lost the first child, I had to walk with my head down; lest I risk seeing the grieving faces of the families that carried the deceased. The wind blocked the sound of the cries, but the wailing of the mothers that lost their children could not be silenced. Their pain surrounded us as we pressed forward, and concentrating on my own pain was I could do to keep myself from trying to go back and comfort them.

It was not as though we could control the situation. Those strong enough to withstand the cold had given up their coats to the weaker. I myself was in bare minimum, with only a rag over my face as extra protection from the cold. Poor Henry had only a thin shirt around him! Everywhere, I could feel everyone suffering, and it was suffocating.

Captain froze, and I stopped beside him. From a pocket inside his blue coat, he pulled a flare, and without reservation or warning shot it into the air. I watched it sail to the sky before disappearing into the white world, before looking at Captain in questioning. His eyes were on the sky, and when a second flair flew not more that a few hundred yards away, I realized why.

"I asked Vishal to try to find a closer entry," Captain explained before heading towards the flair. The rest of the crew followed, and I hurried to move to Captain's side, for I could once more hear the mothers' cries.

When I saw the top of the Nautilus I could have cried for joy. I felt ice dripping in my very veins I was so cold, while my throat burn like fire in my neck. As we approached I saw the door slam open through the haze of snow, and there was Vishal lumbering out. Under his arm was the rope ladder, and by the time we had made it to beneath the railing, Vishal was signaling the all clear.

"Marina, go first and lower the ship," Captain ordered, and I looked at him with wide eyes. He wanted me…to work the Nautilus? I nodded as vigorously as I could through my chill, and scurried up the ladder as fast as I could.

As I began to climb over the rail, Vishal reached down and pulled me across. Wrapped in his arms I accepted his warmth with gratitude before pushing away and smiling. "We were getting' worried, girl," he told me and I signed my apologies quickly before hurrying inside.

Though the door I ran, and the warm air of the halls comforted me as my body temperature slowly rose. I passed several men, and their faces told me they were surprised at my return. Though many called out to me, I could not stop for them. I had a mission, and I intended to complete it.

At the helm, I suddenly doubted myself. I had done this before, but it was so important now. Taking a deep breath, I took hold of the lever and clutched it together. Pulling it required great strength, and despite the definite force I felt against me, I managed to set it without much difficulty. Reaching up, I placed one hand on the wheel and the other on the hanging lever.

Clenching my teeth, I pulled down, and the Nautilus began to sink. The ship shook, stemming from the right, and I quickly turned the wheel until it ceased. When I had counted sixty seconds, I released the lever and the Nautilus shuddered to a stop.

Grasping the split lever, I moved it to a neutral position and let go of the wheel. Turning away I hurried back towards the deck. When I made it to a hall away, I started to hear the hushed voices of the German's.

Turning the corner I saw that several German's had already been shuffled in and were huddling together. As I made my way down the hall, their eyes rose from the ground and each other and gazed at me. I tried to reassure them with a smile, but their uneasiness would not be calm.

Several men who had stayed behind came with blanket-loaded arms, and started to hand them out. Those in the hall took them gratefully, as did I, as I headed back through the door.

Wrapped in the warm comfort of the blanket, the cold was not such a threat. My throat still ached, not even the heat had helped, but it was tolerable. I smiled slightly to see that my sixty second count had been correct and the bottom of the railing was now at ice level. I sighed in relief before moving to huddle next to Vishal's side as he help the German's over the rail.

They scurried away from him and through the door in fear, and I watched half-amused by his side. His large girth blocked the east blowing wind, and I reveled in happiness at its loss.

A flash of red and black. Mina stood beside me, and I let out my held breath as my heart sped from the surprise. She looked down at me soberly before walking into the ship. I watched her go, and then quickly followed as the first child's body was lifted.

It seemed almost unfair that they had not survived their rescue, when I had…

Inside, Ranjan was speaking with the German's in a soothing voice. Several women had begun to cry in relief. In their native tongue, our goal to save them was now laid out clearly, and they could finally relax. I was grateful for my crew once more as I watched men comfort their wives, and they comfort their excited children.

Ranjan stopped speaking and looked up at me. "We'll bring them too the upper floors now, yes?" He asked me in his native Hindi. I nodded my head and waited for the families too assemble in groups that would share rooms. When they were done I motioned for a group of three to follow me before heading for the nearest stairwell. I heard them plodding behind me slowly, and I understood their hesitation. When I had first arrived, it was Vishal who had lead me too my room, not Captain. I had wanted Captain, but he was busy with the ship, so no luck.

These people wanted Ranjan, not Marina, to lead them. They wanted a man who spoke their language and could reassure them, not a mute girl half-frozen and suffering from a throat ache that takes her attention away from them. I smiled as I thought on it, and held in a sigh as I reached their room.

Opening the door for them, they looked at me uneasily. I motioned with a smile for them to enter, and they scurried in quickly. The door slammed closed behind them, and I shook my head, rolling my eyes heavenward.

I smiled at my men as they lead their own families into their rooms. They smiled back, but I felt their frustration at the Germans' manners. Though I sympathized, I could do nothing more for them and headed back down the stairs quickly, hugging the blanket tightly around me.

Footsteps.

I looked up and my eyes grew wide. Men who had stayed behind on the ship were now carrying Skinner down the hall. Henry led them, no doubt going towards the infirmary. Without thinking I took after them, worry causing my heart to speed.

Most burn victims do not survive…

He was not taken to the infirmary. Instead, a room had been turned into an operating room. That is, several crisp white beds occupied the area, and a cabinet of medical supplies stood in a corner. The men left the room after lying Skinner on the ground, and I kept my head down as they passed.

I shuffled in quietly as Henry began to prep. I watched him dig through the cabinet in search of supplies. I grimaced at what he brought out, for I knew the grisly task he would have to perform. All the dead, blackened skin would have to be scrapped off. I felt the bile rise as the full realization of what would happen to Skinner hit me.

Oh, Kali.

"Marina?" Henry looked at me questioningly, and I met his gaze hopelessly. He looked at me pityingly before my gaze flicked to Skinner as he mumbled my name. I walked to his side to hear, and I heard the crisp skin crack as he looked at me.

"Ya shouldn't be in'ere for-" his voice cracked, and I looked to Henry for help. It was useless, as he said, "I know you want to be here Marina, but he's right. You need to be as far away as possible during, the uh, procedure."

I looked away from him and back to Skinner, trying to find his eyes. I could guess where they would be by the burns now…

"Com'on Marina, out now. Think'a it as a last request," he tried to laugh, but I could hear the fear in his voice. His fear made it real for me. I felt tears in my eyes and before I could embarrass myself I leaned over and kissed a patch of his unburned flesh.

Pulling away I turned to Henry, who was holding a block of wood. Wood for him to bite, so that he did not bite his tongue off in pain.

With no reservation I ran from the room, slamming the door behind me, but I did not run. Instead I walked across the hall and slid my back down the wall, feeling the salty tears burn my face. Henry would put him to sleep, and then the treatment would begin. He would be alone with a doctor; going through a hell on earth.

I wish I could be there to comfort him.

Side Note:

Hey everyone so very sorry this took so long! I'm really sorry, but I have a weekend job now and it's been absolutely killing me *dies* lol, so I'm sorry about the uploading, I'll try and be good about it ^^


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

The ghosts of his screams lingered even after the real ones died off. The last time I cried so hard was in my room, with Captain after Ishmael's death. I wished so hard that Ishmael had not died, yet hearing the full force of his pain, I almost wished Skinner had to spare him.

Hiccupping, I looked up slowly as I heard the door open to the infirmary. I stared blankly at Henry's shoes without actually seeing them. I knew where my body was, but I was so detached from it that nothing seemed real.

I did not even see Henry walk towards me. I felt his hand on my shoulder though, and his touch brought me back to the Nautilus. With no care for reservation I reached forward and grabbed his shirt, pulling myself to lean against his chest. He allowed me to lie there, and held me softly while I did.

He was still stroking my hair as my tears quelled. One last hiccup and I felt my episode pass. I pulled away carefully, not wanting it to end but needing to ask. _"Is Skinner…?" _I could not finish. Henry pushed a strand of hair out of my eyes. "As of now his condition is stable, but it'll be his willpower that's determines the overall outcome," Henry sighed.

"I need to go help Mina with the others," he told me as he stood. "I want to wrap that and look at your throat first though," he nodded towards my arm held out his hand, and I took it, wiping my eyes with my free hand. He turned and tried to lead me into the infirmary, but I pulled my hand away quickly. I did not want to see him…

Henry turned and smiled, slow and sad, "Don't worry, I've put up a sheet around him." He held out his hand once more, and I reluctantly took it. He lead me into the room, and I saw that the white sheet cut Skinner's bed from view. However, his silhouette was visible, and I quickly turned my head away. Sadly, there was no blocking the smell…

Henry pointed to the spare bed and smiled softly. I pulled myself onto the edge and let my legs swing lightly as Henry pulled a bowl of water and a cloth towards him. He turned and in his hand he held a pair of scissors, which he used to cut off my sleeve. I watched him carefully, interested.

He put the scissors down and carefully untied my makeshift bandage. He did not falter as he asked, "Did the bullet-"

I quickly shook my head, and he nodded. The cloth he wet and cleaned my arm of the blood gently. I winced only once, and when he was done, he pulled the stinging disinfectant from the drawer. I sighed, making him smile as he held the cloth under my arm. "It will be over soon," he told me, before pouring the fowl liquid over my cut.

I hissed but held firm, and soon enough Henry was wrapping my arm. When he was done I sighed in relief, for the burning had ceased. Henry grinned, "Not so bad, was it?" He teased as he rinsed his hands in the water basin. I grinned playfully, fine with the joke. Then looked around as he but away the towel and bloody rag and noticed none of the tools he had used to…help Skinner, were there. I shuddered just before he turned to me, wiping his hands on a small towel.

"If you could pull down your collar," he instructed, before adding, "Please." I smiled, and carefully unbuttoned it before pulling it away from my neck.

Henry's smile fell, and the towel dropped from his hands. His shock made my heart speed, what…what was wrong? Without a word Henry walked forward, stepping on the towel obliviously and gently touching my neck.

I watched his expression carefully, and not once did it change from its serious state as his fingers roamed my neck. When he finally pulled back his face was white, and my eyes widened in fear.

"M-Marina, do you know what this is?" he asked, pointing to his own neck and swallowing hard. The bulge that moved only so slightly when he did so was there. _"Adam's apple," _I told him, _"Everyone on the ship has one." _

He blinked and nodded, "Right. You can fix your collar," he mumbled. I did so with a raised brow, what was so scary about a simple bump that it could turn Henry pale?

Clicking.

I looked at Henry and saw a pocket watch in his hand, snapping furiously. I furrowed my brow at him in question, but he just smiled shakily. "You s-should relax, take a nap. Um, here, where I can find you later, okay?" he asked.

I nodded slightly, still watching him click the watch rapidly. In a matter of moments Henry had reverted to his former self, skittish, meek…scared. As I lay back against the pillows, Henry scurried out. I gently touched the fabric over my Adam's apple, why did I scare him?

***

Too much. The smell was too much. I could no longer stand it, and Skinner had begun to moan. I needed to get out, find Henry, help Skinner.

Dashing from the room, I looked quickly around before taking a left. The most likely place for the wounded would be one floor up, near the medical supplies. As I ran, I heard something. Crying. Not painful, but fearful.

Stopping, I took a slower pace to find the tears, and found them in the abandoned Salon, hiding behind Captain's desk. It was a small boy, with dirty blonde locks and salt stained cheeks. He sniffled dramatically and curled against the back wall of the desk when I kneeled down.

Wonderful. I could not speak to him, and he was already scared. Sighing I pulled out my note and quill and scribbled, **"Can you speak English?" **for it was the best I could do. The boy was young, but there was a good chance he had heard English before.

Now I just had to hope he could read…

Setting the book down near him, I stood up and moved back. He had stopped crying, which was good, but I could not think it was enough. Walking to a bookcase on the far wall, I pulled out two on the top shelf and reached to the back of the shelf.

I felt the toffee pieces and pulled them out before forcing the books back quickly. Sniffing them, I shrugged. They should still be good. Hopefully.

Walking back to the desk, I saw the boy was concentrating on my note intensely. Wonderful, at least he was trying. He looked up quickly as I sat down and scurried away. I sighed, I was afraid of that.

I quickly dumped the candy pieces onto the note and smiled at him. He looked at the candy with furrowed brows and I took one quickly. Unwrapping it I popped the piece into my mouth and smiled, for it was indeed still good. Sticking the wrapper in my pocket with one hand, I pushed the note closer to him.

His small fingers reached out timidly and grabbed a piece. I watched him unwrap it awkwardly before popping it in his mouth. After he had finished his first piece he reached for another, then pointed to the note.

"English," he told me, and I smiled and nodded. "Mama's English," he told me, and I grinned wider. I motioned for him to come, and he did so after putting the candy in his mouth. I picked up my note and handed him all the candy, which he put in his pockets happily.

I carefully put my note away before holding out my hand, which he took cheerily enough. I held in a laugh, for children always amused me. They were easily fixed, no matter what problem they had.

I led him down the hall, and he chatted to me in both English and German. I laughed when he would say something in German, then get upset when he had to say it in English. By the time I realized that we had not found Henry and Skinner was still in pain I was pink from laughing. He was a very ludic thing when not crying.

I sighed and leaned down, lifting the boy onto my hip. He asked what was wrong as I quickened my pace. Shaking my head I hurried for the medical supplies.

By the time I found Mina, the boy, whose name was Edwin, was squirming to get down. I let him go and he clutched my pants, hiding from Mina, who had yet to change. I quickly pulled out my note and wrote, **"Skinner needs help!" **

She nodded, "Henry is with Captain Nemo, their at the helm. What is that?" she asked. **"Edwin," **I wrote, **"He's lost, could you get one of the men to bring him to his mother?"**

Mina nodded, but Edwin refused to go with her. I sighed and shook my head. Smiled in thanks, and took Edwin's hand as I headed for the helm…

"Are you absolutely sure?" I heard Captain ask, and froze as Henry said, "There's no doubt. I'm quite sure it's benign though-"

…Tumor?

My hand flew to my neck. All the men had one…Mina did not, that time she showed her neck. The German women did not…

"What can we do?" Captain asked

Tumor…

"We can only-"

"-Lady?!" Edwin asked, demanding attention as he shook my hand. The voices stopped, and in a moment both Henry and Captain were there. Both turned white, and I pulled my hand from Edwin's.

"_Skinner needs-"_

Why was everything fuzzy?

"_-Help…" _I managed to sign, before the world detached again. I knew my body was falling, but I did not feel it happening.

I was already in the darkness.

Side Note:

Well, the cat's out of the bag now.

Oh, and thanks everyone so much for the 100+ reviews, I'm so very thankful!!! It makes me smile XD


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

I woke up in the infirmary bed.

It was quiet. Skinner was breathing evenly, and everything seemed calm. What a horrid dream. Involuntarily I shivered in on my cot. I had seen horrors today- but, was it still the day of battle, I knew not how long I slept… In any case, I had seen my Captain's men, my friends, murdered in cold blood. Yet a dream caused me more fright than my memories of our fight.

Sitting up, I felt the blanket slide down and pool in my lap. Who had placed it there? I did not remember falling asleep with it on. Then again, I remembered not actually falling asleep, so I very well might have slipped under the blanket before sleep took me. Actually, if memory served me Captain would often cover me if I fell asleep without a blank-

"LADY!"

…?!

Edwin?!!!

Before I could comprehend, Edwin was clawing up the side of the bed and throwing himself against me. His small arms encircled my waist, not quite reaching each other on the other side. Oh Kali, Edwin was real. I had not just dreamt of him, that meant.

Oh Kali…

"Lady, more candy?" Edwin asked as he pulled his face away from where he had buried it in my stomach. I swallowed (it hurt to do so) and shook my head sadly, wrapping my hand carefully around the pudgy one he had held up. Edwin whined sadly and began to play with the hem of my top. I watched him as I took deep breaths through my nose.

The conversation was replaying in my ears. _'"I'm quite sure it's benign though-"' _At least there was that. It was not some fowl cancer ready to take me from my home. I missed mother more than anything, but I was not ready to join him in the afterlife. I had too many things to accomplish before I could be taken.

"Edwin?!" A woman was calling, and German speech followed her calls. Edwin's face shot to the door, " Here, mutti!" Footsteps preceded a woman's entrance into the infirmary. She had the same dirty blonde hair as Edwin, only long and waving. I instantly envied it, and my hand reached up to touch my own chopped locks.

She carried in her arms a bundle. The soft cooing I heard from it could only be from a babe, and I startled. She looked hardly older than I! Yet she was the babe's mother as well as Edwin's. For a moment I felt an odd sadness other this, but dismissed it on account of its foolishness.

I needed not children. Not when I had men and Nautilus to care for.

The woman regarded me for a moment in the doorway, before walking into the room. "Edwin-" she continued in German, and I stared openly. A language I had never learned, for lack of reason or desire. I could not be sure, but in the awkwardness of listening to the mother and son speak, I desperately wished I had. Finally, the woman looked at me and smiled.

"Thank you for everything, Miss Nemo."

I blinked at her in confusion. Miss Nemo? What was she saying? She looked flustered at my confusion, and looked away, blushing. "Forgive me, I assumed you and he had the same name. You are his daughter, are you not?" she asked embarrassment clear on her face. I felt my own face color at her question, and pulled Edwin's hands away from my blouse so I needn't look at her.

I heard her step forward, "I am sorry, the way he speaks of you, I just thought…"

My ears perked, Captain spoke well of me. I looked at her and smiled, and she seemed relieved. "I did mean my thanks though. For everything you've done Miss. I know you helped us escape," her voice softened, "I feared we were to die in that horrid place." She shook her head, "We're all grateful, actually. To you and the ones who helped us. I'm feared I would not get the chance to thank you personally."

I nodded, for there was little else I could do. My pack was not on me, and it was not in my immediate sight either. Smiling, I pet Edwin's hair softly and looked at her expectantly. She smiled, "I'm sorry about him, he falls in love with anyone who will give him sweets," she laughed, and I found myself laughing as well. "I do thank you for helping him earlier though, I do not know what I would have done if I had lost him permanently."

The resolute tone her tone had taken was startling, and I could only imagine the depth of her honesty. I grinned, and not able to express myself and other way, wrapped my arms around Edwin's tiny body and hugged him tightly. He wiggled and squirmed but tolerated me long enough to hug me back. I released him smiling, and he laughed and slid off the bed. "No yummy's mutti!" he told her, and she scolded him.

I laughed and watched them. This more likely than not would have been her life had she not been lost at sea. Had the Nautilus not claimed her, had she never been captive of the sea, she would most likely be a wife and mother by now. The woman looked at her and grinned apologetically, "I must find my husband, but it was a pleasure meeting you, even though you're extremely quiet. I'm Elizabeth St. Marius, by the way. Edwin, and Anna," she nodded to the bundle in her arms. I grinned, but was unable to answer.

"Madame! You really should not be in the- Marina! You're awake!" Henry was in the doorway now, and I grinned at him weakly. His shocked face was a comfort, despite the truths it no doubt hid.

'" _We can only…"'_

I feared that 'only.' It meant I had one chance, and if it did not work… I felt myself shudder again. "Marina?" Elizabeth asked, looking from Henry to me as our gazes turned to her. "I hope you are well soon, Marina. We'll visit again soon. Come Edwin." she finished in a mutter, nudging Edwin towards the door as he began to protest in German. She looked at Henry and nodded, "Doctor," before she began to whisper quickly in German at Edwin.

Henry watched them go, and when they had disappeared his gaze fell to the floor. "You've been asleep for two days. Forgive me. Its rather amusing, but I finally leave for the first time in two days for five minutes and you wake up alone… Forgive me." He repeated.

He was not looking, but I signed, _"Forgiven," _anyway. After a moment, he walked to the cabinet and came back with medical supplies. "Your arm," he muttered, still not looking at me. I complied willingly, but still grimaced as he pulled away the unclean bandage and began to clean it with the stinging medication.

"I left to ask Captain Nemo to let me wake you. He refused, said he would do it himself. I'm afraid he'll be most vexed, he'll think I did it…" he trailed off. I think he was trying to joke, lighten the heavy smog that was suffocating us. I managed one small laugh, but I know it was not very convincing.

As he finished tying my bandage he said, "Marina, what you heard… It was just-"

I was tired of this. I had tumors in my throat that could possibly kill me, and he refused to look at me. Without thinking, I reached out and took his chin in my hand, cutting his speech short and forcing his eyes to meet mine. He tried to speak, but words seemed to fail him. Which defeated the purpose of my grabbing him, for I had only wanted him to look at me while he spoke. I just did not want him to act as though I was dead already.

"Ahem."

Captain was in the doorway, staring at us with raised eyebrows. I looked at him and smiled, dropping Henry's chin. He walked in stoically, and I grinned wider. At least Captain was looking at me, acting as he usually would had he caught me in this situation before he had learned of my tumor.

"I see you could not wait, Dr. Jekyll," he spoke calmly, but I could see he was slightly perturbed. I shook my head as Henry tried to stutter out the truth, and to save Henry, I signed the story quickly.

Captain nodded when I had finished. As I explained Henry had cleaned up, and now stood beside me, opposite of Captain. I looked between them both as they stared down at me. Were they both imagining my corpse? Their faces seemed to say so, but I was not dead yet. Surely Henry could save me, I had faith in him.

"_So," _I signed, _"What is the only thing to be done?" _Captain blinked as Henry's face colored. "According to Dr. Jekyll, your best chance for…" he stopped, and it shocked me. Was Captain truly taking this so hard?

"Your greatest chance for survival is to have the tumors surgically removed," Henry picked up, his voice taking on a tone he must use for all patients, for I had never heard it before. Was the chance I might perish diminish me to the status of just patient with him? "If they have begun to bother you it could be because they are growing. If that is the case they very well might suffocate you if not removed."

I stared at him in shock. Something my body produced, could kill me in such a horrid way? It was hard to believe my body would sabotage myself in such a way.

Captain had composed himself, "On Dr. Jekyll's request, we shall be stopping at next port to find you a doctor to do the procedure. He shall-"

I put my hand up to stop him.

Never in my years aboard the Nautilus had I done such a thing, but I could not help it. Henry would not be doing the procedure? I glared at him in betrayal. As Captain did not, neither did I trust doctors. No remedy did I trust but Captain's bitter ones, and more recently, Henry's stinging, yet compassionate ones.

My life was in the balance. I would trust no one whom I did not already trust with my life.

"Marina?" Henry asked quietly, shock in his eyes. I turned to Captain, ignoring him, _"I shall not trust a doctor from land do such an important procedure for me."_ I told him plainly, knowing he would understand. Captain stared at me for a moment calmly before stating, "Dr. Jekyll has refuse to do the procedure himself."

I turned on him vehemently_, "And why is that?!" _I demanded. Was I not good enough for him to care for now that the cause for my damaged self was known? Or was the only reason he had ever cared in the first place so that he may rid himself of the mystery and then move on?

Henry did not look at me, "It is for no reason I wish to explain."

That was it then. Pushing the blanket away from me, I pushed passed him as I slid onto the floor and headed for the door.

"Marina!" Captain called, halting me. I turned on his order, _"I shall have no surgery without Dr. Jekyll as the surgeon."_ I told them, hoping my pain would translate to Henry through the use of his formal name.

"You could _die_ without the surgery, Marina," Henry spoke, and I could tell I hit my mark. He had begun to sweat, and his face was splotching with red patches. It pained me to see him like that over me, but the pain was worse at his refusal. "I cannot perform it, Marina. I **can't.**

I stared at him for a long time. I did not know why he could not, and he was not explaining. Turning to look at Captain, I tried to smile as best I could.

"_If that be the case, I have no regrets." _

It was a lie, but hopefully it would motivate. Without a second thought, I turned away from the two most important men in my life, thinking only of what I would steal to eat from the kitchen. My stomach was in knots.

Side Note:

No excuses.

Feel free to send your hate via review/pm.

That is of course assuming anyone still reads this.


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Clenched fists sat in my stomach, wringing back and forth continuously. Two days of sleep demanded sustenance to fight off the lingering effects of unconsciousness. I swayed, lethargic, down the halls towards the kitchen.

I had done something childish, something cruel, and I shuddered to think of the repercussions that would surely come. Captain would not force me to a doctor, that I could be sure of. He himself held a disdain for outsiders, the League he had accepted only for the greater good. I believe they have helped him tremendously with his trust distrust for outsiders. Yet I know, he would not force any treatment on me. He respected me enough to let me choose.

Henry. I could only imagine what Henry would do. Beg me? Give in? Unleash Hyde to try and persuade me? A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. Nothing would drive him to that, the thought alone was absurd. His eyes though, would I see the turmoil I had caused in them? Would Henry show defeat, or would I see Hyde rage? I knew Henry could not perform. Performing on one he is close to would be against the rules. Doctors cannot perform on ones they are close too. Even if Henry could distance himself from the situation, it would be too dangerous.

The door to the kitchen was ajar, but the room was bare. I was grateful I had yet to meet another on the trek, my mind too cluttered and my body too heavy to humor another. I open the closest cabinet and dig past the canisters in the forefront. Raised on my toes, I reach for the jars of smoked meat stored in the back. With the square tin secure in my hand, I close the cabinet and pull myself onto the stone counter top.

Crossing my legs I open the tin and set in on the dried strips of flesh. Chewing the hard chunks mercilessly, my stomach begins to settle, and the fists slowly loosen. I tap my foot sideways into the counter top, staring at a grease spot on the wall.

They had told me I had been sleeping for two days, which meant we would soon arrive in Germany to release the scientists and their families. I would miss the little boy, Edwin. He was charming little thing. I had hoped to get to know his mother, a female whom was near my own age. I had wanted to know her point of view. Her upbringing, how she came to be married. Her pregnancies, her trials, what she did with her days. Was she happy, or did she despair?

I had eaten half the tin of meat, and was still reaching for another piece. I imagined my stomach would be as big as a hot air balloon by the time I was done. My throat was aching from so much swallowing, but I continued to eat.

"Do you plan to become as fat as a spoiled English lady?"

Prabir leaned against the door frame, staring at me. I could not bring myself to fight him, and stared at him instead, resigned. I reached for the lid beside me on the counter and pressed it onto its body. I shifted to the right and opened the cabinet, setting the tin in the front.

Prabir walked in front of me, and I stared at my cloth covered knees and sighed out of my nose. Captain must have told him.

"I haven't told Maitreya, yet."

I nodded, if Captain had told Prabir, it was because he was unsure how Maitreya would handle the news. I was not sure how he would handle it either.

"I take it you wanted Henry to perform the surgery?"

I nodded again. He seemed to know me quite well. It made sense, his lover was my closest friend and I was his superior. He had used the information to blackmail me, of course he could figure things out now.

"I knew you would. Captain Nemo was hoping you wouldn't be such a stubborn mule, but I knew better."

My eyes snapped up to meet his in defiance. Captian would never call me a stubborn mule, and I was ready to fight before I saw him smiling.

"There you are."

I covered my eyes with my hand. Smiled. Frowned. His arms snaked around me and held me close. The moments passed by. I shivered as I pulled myself together, comforted by my surprising ally.

When I could pull away, I smiled at him softly in thanks. He regarded me with serious eyes.

"Captain Nemo is a great man. Losing him would be a great deterrence to the world, to everyone who knows him. Yet he would give his life in a moment, to protect those he is loyal too, those he loves."

He took a step back and stared at me intensely.

"If you plan to take your life, that is your choice, but who are you dying for?"

He gave a shallow bow and walked out of the room. I watched him go and sighed again. Comparing me to the man I idolized, the man I wished to surpass. Prabir knew me too well for comfort, no wonder he had so easily manipulated me. That man makes a scary enemy, thank goodness he was on my side now.

My stomach was knotting again, and I slid from the counter. Henry came to mind, but I did not trust myself to stand before him. I decided I would like to see Edwin. I went to the back of the kitchen, and opened a lower cabinet. I crawled into the back and opened the bag of taffy. If Edwin ever saw the kitchens stash his eyes would explode from his head.

I backed out of the cabinet, and pocketed the candy before heading out towards the German wing. As I got closer I noticed that some of the Germans had began venturing from their room. When they saw me, reactions were mixed. Scared at being caught, or grateful. They spoke happily in German, and all I could do was smile back and nod on my way. When I made it to the hall I realized I was not sure which room Edwin and his family had been placed in. I decided to just move down the hall and hope to get lucky.

"LADY!"

Edwin's voice carried through the hall after my third lap. I saw him pulling his mother along, behind them an older man carried their baby. Their cheeks were flushed, and I wondered if they had been on the roof. Were we submerged or charging? I had not been neglecting my Lady. I silently promised to pay more attention to her.

"Hello, Marina!" Elizabeth said, as Edwin stopped pulling her and attached himself to my legs. She leaned forward and kissed my cheek. I was not expecting it, and did not kiss back. She laughed after looking at my face, and I felt a hand in my pocket.

"Mutti, yummies!" Edwin cried happily, showing Elizabeth in triumph.

"Edwin!" she cried in shock, before speak quickly in German. I laughed and pulled another out, squatting down. I held it in front of his face and he reached out for it. I pulled it out of his reach and gave him a chastising look. He frowned, and looked at his mother, before he looked back and me and mumbled, "Pwease."

I smiled and handed him the treat. He took it happily as his mother shook her head with a laugh. The man behind her guffawed. She smiled at him, then started.

"Oh, Marina, this is my husband, Carolus!"

I stood and smiled, reaching out my hand. He said something in German as Elizabeth took Anna from him. He took my hand and shook it.

"We were just on the roof, it's much warmer now," Elizabeth said happily. She began to move down the hall, "Come to the room with us."

Carolus scooped up Edwin to his squealing delight and nodded me forward. I smiled and followed after Elizabeth. She opened a door to the left and let me walk through. It was quaint with a large bed for them to share. She motioned for me to sit on the bed and began to chat happily, involving me with questions I could nod or shake for. Her husband played with Edwin on the floor with a wooden duck and periodically I threw Edwin pieces of candy to try and catch. When he father, who didn't speak English caught them, he would tease him mercilessly with his height. This caused Elizabeth to chastise him, which ended in Edwin getting the taffy and laughter one way or another.

Sitting there with them, I realized what a family could be like. Elizabeth didn't seem unhappy at all. In fact, she looked at her balding husband with loving eyes, even when she tried to be stern. Anna cooed in Elizabeth's arms and her mother brought her to her face and gave her butterfly kisses. I watched them with a smile, warmed by their happiness. Elizabeth turned to me and smiled, "Do you want to hold her? I can't imagine you've had much practice being on this ship full of men! I can't believe you're not married yet," she giggled.

I stared at her in shock, then at Anna's chubby cheeks. Slowly, I nodded and held out my arms awkwardly.

"Just make sure you support her head, her little neck isn't strong enough to do it on her own yet," she said.

I nodded and Anna was slowly placed in my arms, her tiny body following the curve and her head resting in the middle of my upper arm. I was tense, and she squirmed a little. My eyes grew huge and I looked at Elizabeth for help. She was laughing at me, as was Carolus.

"Don't worry, Marina, she wont bite."

I took deep breaths through my nose and eventually my body relaxed. Anna was falling asleep, and her eyes were half lidded. Such a delicate, beautiful little girl she was. Making sure she was supported against my chest, I took my right arm out from under her and brushed a little lock of hair. Her skin was so soft and smooth, and her hair finer than silk. I smiled at her, at the miracle that I held a child in my arms.

"Makes you want your very own, doesn't it?" Elizabeth said. Her smiled was so kind and sincere, I couldn't help the disbelieving laugh that escaped me. Smiling, I nodded, grateful for this moment of peace that had nothing to do with death.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

The children had long since been tucked in to the large bed, their father joining them on one side. Elizabeth would take the other side when I left, wrapping the children in the warm embrace of their love and devotion. I stayed whispering into the night with the young mother, until Elizabeth failed to stifle a yawn. Seeing this, I bid my dear companion good night before taking my leave into the empty halls of my lady.

The halls were quite, the time had slipped away as Elizabeth had chatted with me. She had produced ink, quill and parchment for me to write with (given to her by one of the crew a day before), and we had spent our time exchanging childhoods. She had grown up in England, the eldest daughter of a wealthy doctor. Raised by a kindly caretaker for her mother was lost in childbirth, her father fell ill when she was fourteen, and Elizabeth had found herself quickly married to a man she had met but once at a party many years ago. Carolus had been a long standing friend of her half German, half English father, and had treated Elizabeth with kindness throughout their marriage. She considered herself lucky to have such a man as her husband.

I could not imagine having been married at such an age. Not that we are completely sure of my age, but the year we suppose was my fourteenth, I was still learning how to work the wheel of my lady without turning us all on our heads. Marriage had been the furthest thing from my mind. True, I may have had a crush on Maitreya before I saw him exposed and he began to tease me mercilessly about it. And true, I had thought of what it might be like, having a man to love passionately, like in the novel I read. Someone that would hold me flush against them as I trembled. I admit to having those thoughts, I could not help them, but to truly be bound to them. To be a man's property, bear children, take care of a household while he went away to work. It was all so alien to me, to foreign for me to really comprehend. The men had told stories of their lives before my lady, where it is the norm for the woman to care for house and child. I had heard them, but I would never live them, and so I had not bothered to think about it more than a moment or two.

With Elizabeth, someone I wished to call friend on board, I now had a perspective I could more easily comprehend. She had a life she was happy with, felt blessed with. For a girl in her position, she had been very lucky to have a kind and loving husband. Yet even so, I would always dwell within my lady. A life on the land would be too horrible to bear. Despite the tragedy of being stolen away from their lives by M, the prisoners would soon be returning home to their lives there. They would once more be at ease with their way of life, and none would feel the need to retch while looking at the water (as Elizabeth had told me one had).

These idle thoughts of marriage and where I would reside were meaningless if I didn't survive.

I found myself in front of our makeshift infirmary. The place where I had waken, the place I had caused pain. Skinner was inside. It had been days since I had seen him. Was he still alive, was he suffering? I grit my teeth and pushed open the door. I hadn't noticed the smell earlier when I had awoken, but surely it had been there. The smell of flesh and blood and a dying man saturated the room.

The white sheet was up, and I stepped forward and gingerly pulled it aside. The sight I saw was not nearly as horrific as I had thought it would be.

Skinner was bandaged from head to foot. I moved to his side and stared down at his sleeping face. I knew he slept, for his shallow breaths were even. I hoped he could feel no pain in his sleep. I sunk to the floor, gripping the side of the cot to keep me from falling. I felt sick. My stomach held by fists once more.

Why did this have to happen to him? Why Skinner? Why the man that had so easily accepted me and made me laugh? Forced me to laugh is more like it. The corners of my mouth twitched, remembering how he had stolen my hat and removed the veil. How he had poked fun, and been witty, and taken care of me when I otherwise would have slept in the hall. I had never met a man so informal with me so fast, and maybe it was just bad manners from him but it had endeared me to him. I had felt a camaraderie and kinship I had never felt with an outsider before. I would have gladly given my life to have prevented this man from going through this ordeal.

I let myself sit there, hunched over, until I could trust my body to obey my commands. I stood, and looked gazed at the face of my wounded friend.

'Kali,' I thought, 'Kali, please. Spare him. He does not deserve to die this way.'

I closed my eyes. Bargaining with a God was never a good idea. For what mortal could really say they were smart enough to understand the workings of the Gods well enough bargain with them? I knew I wasn't one who could, but that did not stop me from pleading. I would give up my life for him I knew, but I was too cowardly to think it directly to Kali. Instead, I kissed a bit of Skinner's unwrapped flesh and fled the room.

I had more to do. Sleep could not come yet, and I pushed through the yawn that overtook my face. I made my way to Captain's study, hoping he would stay true to sitting there when troubled by something he could not easily fix.

I knocked on the door softly, and waited restlessly, bouncing from one foot to the next. When I finally heard his gruff, 'Enter,' I did so anxiously. He was sitting at his desk, a book open in front of him. I froze in the doorway, no longer confident now that I had him alone. I shut the door slowly as he stood and circled the desk. He regarded me with stern eyes, and I swallowed painfully.

I bent forward, a bow so low I saw the wooden panels of the floor as a bird would see the land.

"Rise."

I obeyed. His arms were open and I ran to them, hugging him tighter than I had in what seemed a long time. He held me, his beard mixing with my hair as he rested his face on my head.

"Marina, even if Dr. Jekyll will not perform it, you must have the surgery."

I was shocked to hear him say that. I had not expected him to ever pressure me in a matter of doctors and outsiders. He or mother or the men had always taken care of me when I was ill. Never once had he brought in an outsider for an illness. If the men were sick and wanted to leave, he let them, but they never returned. I did not want to be added to the list of lost men. I pulled away from him gently.

"I came here to beg your forgiveness at the way I behaved, Captain," I signed. He watched my hands closely.

"...And to ask you to help me find a doctor willing to perform on the Nautilus, if you will allow it."

His eyes seemed to instantly soften. He took me back into his arms and held me as one would a child.

"I allow it. It will be done as soon as we land in Germany."

I nodded into his chest and hugged him tighter.

"My wife and two children have long since passed. You are my last, and all I have left, little one. I will not lose you too."

A warmth spread through me, easing all the pain I had ever felt with his words, all the heartache was gone. My father had made it all go away.

I must have fallen asleep talking on the sofa next to Captain, fore I woke in my bed. Unsure of the time, I stumble out of bed and to my desk, where I open the pocket watch I keep there. It was five in the morning, and I was struck with the thought that I had one more right to wrong. I don't know how Henry and Hyde had reacted to my proclamation, but I needed to make sure they were well. Putting the watch back down I grabbed a shawl from the chair and draped it around my arms as I left my room.

The halls are deserted, the lights are low. I glide silently to his door and find it cracked open. I can hear mumbling, and peak through the crack. Henry is pacing, his shirt unbuttoned and half out his pants. He is barefoot with tousled hair, and I can only imagine what he has been through.

I push the door open and it squeaks. He turns on me, takes a moment to discern who I am, then takes a step back. I step forward, close the door behind me. He watched me cautiously, I know now what a mistake I've made. Either Hyde had been putting him through hell, or he had himself. I couldn't help but feel it was a mixture of both.

I walk to him, and he watches me, black rings around his eyes and skin blotched red. Not in the best shape, but so oddly beautiful I catch my breath. I've never had someone apart from my mother and father lose sleep over me. Never had someone so worried about me it caused them physical and mental strife. I stop before him, take his hand and kiss his palm.

"Marina-"

I shake my head quickly. I don't want him to speak.

"I was asked what I was dying for," I sign.

"I didn't have an answer, because all I could think of is things I must live for. I have much to live for, Henry. Captain, Nautilus, the Crew, the League..."

I paused, not afraid. If I singled him out, that would be it. An admittance of everything I had tried to hide from him. I would risk rejection, risk losing him all together. Was it worth losing him completely if I could at least have his friendship?

The air was think. We were both waiting. Waiting on my choice.

"The League..." he said.

I looked into his blue eyes. Saw the clouds swirling in them.

I mouthed, 'You.'

And before I could think about it, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my lips to his.


End file.
